Transfer hydrogenation of olefins catalysed by nickel nanoparticles

Nickel nanoparticles have been found to effectively catalyse the hydrogen-transfer reduction of a variety of non-functionalised and functionalised olefins using 2-propanol as the hydrogen donor. The heterogeneous process has been shown to be highly chemoselective for certain substrates, with all the corresponding alkanes being obtained in high yields. A synthesis of the natural dihydrostilbene brittonin A is also reported based on the use of nickel nanoparticles.Spanish Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia (MEC; grant no. CTQ2007-65218; Consolider Ingenio 2010-CSD2007-00006) and the Generalitat Valenciana (PROMETEO2009/039)