N-Heterocyclic carbene-based well-defined ruthenium hydride complexes for direct amide synthesis from alcohols and amines under base-free conditions

Abstract Readily synthesized, well-defined N -heterocyclic carbene-based ruthenium(II) hydride complexes were developed for amide synthesis from alcohols and amines under base-free conditions. Diverse amides were synthesized in fair-to-excellent yields. In the case of secondary amines, where direct dehydrogenative amidation is not feasible, a catalytic amount of a base was required to promote the transamidation of esters, which are byproducts of alcohol dimerization.