Bio-Inspired Catalytic Imine Reduction by Rhodium Complexes with Tethered Hantzsch Pyridinium Groups: Evidence for Direct Hydride Transfer from Dihydropyridine to Metal-Activated Substrate

Bio-Inspired Catalytic Imine Reduction by Rhodium Complexes with Tethered Hantzsch Pyridinium Groups: Evidence for Direct Hydride Transfer from Dihydropyridine to Metal-Activated Substrate:

Inspired by Nature: A conceptually new design for a catalyst, combining a metal center abutted to an organic hydride donor, is demonstrated for the formate-driven transfer hydrogenation of imines under ambient conditions. A key step, transfer of hydride from the organohydride donor to the metal-polarized substrate, mirrors that in metallo-(de)hydrogenase enzymes.