Rhodium‐on‐Carbon Catalyzed Hydrogen Scavenger‐ and Oxidant‐Free Dehydrogenation of Alcohols in Aqueous Media.

The efficient and catalytic dehydrogenation of alcohols is a clean approach for preparing carbonyl compounds accompanied only by the generation of hydrogen gas. We have accomplished the heterogeneous rhodium-on-carbon catalyzed dehydrogenation of secondary, as well as primary, alcohols to the corresponding ketones and carboxylic acids in water under basic conditions.