One‐Pot Catalytic Approach for the Selective Aerobic Synthesis of Imines from Alcohols and Amines Using Efficient Arene Diruthenium(II) Catalysts under Mild Conditions

A green and efficient catalytic approach for the selective synthesis of imines in air at room temperature was achieved with the aid of newly synthesised diruthenium(II) complexes [(η 6 ‐ p ‐cymene) 2 Ru 2 Cl 2 (µ‐L)] containing substituted 1,2‐diacylhydrazine ligands. All the new complexes were fully characterised by analytical and spectroscopic techniques. The solid‐state structure of a representative complex was solved by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction analysis. The diruthenium(II) complexes also enable the selective aerobic oxidation of alcohols to aldehydes. The catalytic reaction operates in the presence of air as a green and cheap oxidant, and releases water as the only by‐product. A plausible mechanism is proposed for the imine formation, which is believed to proceed via an aldehyde intermediate.