Highly active iridium(I) complexes for novel beta-selective hydrogen isotope exchange processes

In recent years, research within the Kerr group has lead to the development of a series of highly active cationic iridium(I) complexes bearing a combination of bulky phosphine/NHC ligands 1. These complexes can facilitate mild and selective ortho-hydrogen isotope exchange (HIE)with a wide variety of functional handles. Additionally, they perform excellently in olefin hydrogenation processes, furnishing excellent yields under mild reaction conditions. Ongoing research continues to further explain and optimise the efficacy of these complexes, with the aim of developing a series of catalysts that can meet the escalating demands of any HIE or hydrogenation process.Through this research, we have discovered that it is possible to use an unsaturated species, such as 2, bearing a suitable functional handle, and incorporate selectively a hydrogen isotope at the β-position with high levels of incorporation 3 (Scheme 1). The full details of our research in this novel area of hydrogen isotope exchange will be discussed as part of this poster presentation.