Dehydrogenative oxidation of primary and secondary alcohols catalyzed by a Cp*Ir complex having a functional C,N-chelate ligand.

A new catalytic system for the dehydrogenative oxidation of alcohols using a Cp*Ir complex having a functional C,N-chelate ligand has been developed. With this catalytic system, both primary and secondary alcohols were efficiently converted to aldehydes and ketones, respectively. Mechanistic investigations of this catalytic system have revealed that the catalytically active species is a hydrido iridium complex with a functional C,N-chelate ligand.