Atmospheric pressure water-gas shift reaction and transfer hydrogenation of ketones using a ruthenium pincer catalyst.

We report the use of a Ru-MACHO pincer complex as a catalyst for the homogeneous water-gas shift reaction (WGSR) under atmospheric pressure of CO and at 150 °C, achieving cumulative turnover numbers (TONs) of more than 6000 from the catalyst recycling of a total of 4 runs. This activity was then exploited to reduce ketones to secondary alcohols via transfer hydrogenation using CO and water as a reducing agent. Stoichiometric NMR experiments and DFT calculations were performed to elucidate key organometallic intermediates and the catalytic cycle.