Ester hydrogenolysis via β-C-O bond cleavage catalysed by a phenanthroline-based PNNP-cobalt(I) complex.

A Co(I) catalyst bearing a phenanthroline-based PNNP ligand (2,9-bis((diphenylphosphanyl)methyl)-1,10-phenanthroline) exhibits long-range metal ligand cooperation behavior using a ligand backbone as a hydrogen reservoir and catalyses hydrogenolysis of benzyl benzoate derivatives via β-C-O cleavage with atmospheric pressure H 2 .