Takasago International Corporation

Yasunori Ino

Wataru Kuriyama

Osamu Ogata

Takaji Matsumoto

Akifumi Yoshida

Provided is an alcohol production method comprising the step of reducing an ester or a lactone with hydrogen to produce a corresponding alcohol without addition of a base compound by using, as a catalyst, a ruthenium complex represented by the following general formula (1):RuH(X)(L)(L)&#x2003;&#x2003;(1)wherein

Alcohol production method by reducing ester or lactone with hydrogen

The present invention relates to a ruthenium carbonyl complex that is represented by the following Formula (1):RuXY(CO)(L)&#x2003;&#x2003;(1) (in the Formula (1), X and Y, which may be the same or different from each other, represent an anionic ligand and L represents a tridentate aminodiphosphine ligand which has two phosphino groups and a &#x2014;NH&#x2014; group), its production method, and a method for production of alcohols by hydrogenation-reduction of ketones, esters, and lactones using the complex as a catalyst. The ruthenium carbonyl complex of the invention has a high catalytic activity and it can be easily prepared and handled.

Ruthenium carbonyl complex having tridentate ligand, its production method and use

Alcohol production method by reducing ester of lactone with hydrogen

A method for producing alcohols which comprises reducing esters or lactones with hydrogen gas in the presence of a catalyst comprising (i) a ruthenium compound, (ii) a monodentate monophosphine or a bidentate bisphosphine, and (iii) an amine. Examples of the catalyst include a ruthenium (Ru) complex represented by the formula:RuXX(L)(L)[Xand Xeach represent an anionic ligand, Lrepresents a phosphine ligand, m is 1 when Lis bidentate, while m is 2 when Lis monodentate, Lrepresents an amine ligand, and n is 1 when Lis bidentate, while n is 2 when Lis monodentate.] and a catalyst comprising an amine and a ruthenium (Ru) complex of the formula: RuXX(L)[Lrepresents a monophosphine ligand and r is 3 or 4.].

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Hiratsuka, Japan

Yasunori Ino