CATALYTIC HYDROGEN-TRANSFER REDUCTION OF ORGANIC-MOLECULES WITH METHANOL AS HYDROGEN SOURCE

Methanol was used as hydrogen source to reduce organic substrates, like alkynes, alkenes, nitro compounds and unsaturated ketones, in the presence of a supported copper catalyst. The detection of H-2, CO and HCOOCH3 in the reaction products allows us to postulate a mechanism for the hydrogen-transfer reaction based on a two-step dehydrogenation of methanol