The widespread crisis of plastic pollution demands discovery of new and sustainable approaches to degrade robust plastics such as nylons. Using a green and sustainable approach based on hydrogenation, in the presence of a ruthenium pincer catalyst at 150 °C and 70 bar H 2 , we report here the first example of hydrogenative depolymerization of conventional, widely used nylons and polyamides, in general. Under the same catalytic conditions, we also demonstrate the hydrogenation of a polyurethane to produce diol, diamine, and methanol. Additionally, we demonstrate an example where monomers (and oligomers) obtained from the hydrogenation process can be dehydrogenated back to a poly(oligo)amide of approximately similar molecular weight, thus completing a closed loop cycle for recycling of polyamides. Based on the experimental and density functional theory studies, we propose a catalytic cycle for the process that is facilitated by metal–ligand cooperativity. Overall, this unprecedented transformation, albeit at the proof of concept level, offers a new approach toward a cleaner route to recycling nylons.

Hydrogen has long been regarded as an ideal alternative clean energy vector to overcome the drawbacks of fossil technology. However, the direct utilization of hydrogen is challenging, due to low volumetric energy density of hydrogen gas and potential safety issues. Herein, we report an efficient and reversible liquid to liquid organic hydrogen carrier system based on inexpensive, readily available and renewable ethylene glycol. This hydrogen storage system enables the efficient and reversible loading and discharge of hydrogen using a ruthenium pincer complex, with a theoretical hydrogen storage capacity of 6.5 wt%.

A series of base-stabilized silylium species were synthesized and their reactivity toward CO 2 explored, yielding the characterization of a novel N/ Si + FLP-CO 2 adduct. These silicon species are active catalysts in the hydroboration of CO 2 to the methoxide level with 9-BBN, catecholborane (catBH), and pinacolborane (pinBH). Both experiments and DFT calculations highlight the role of the FLP-CO 2 adduct in the catalysis. Depending on the nature of the hydroborane reductant, two distinct mechanisms have been unveiled. While 9-BBN and catBH are able to reduce an intermediate FLP-CO 2 adduct, the hydroboration of CO 2 with pinBH follows a different and novel path where the B−H bond is activated by the silicon-based Lewis acid catalyst. In these mechanisms, the formation of a highly stabilized FLP-CO 2 adduct is found detrimental to the kinetics of the reaction.

The kinetics of the oxidative additions of haloheteroarenes HetX (X=I, Br, Cl) to [Pd(0) (PPh3 )2 ] (generated from [Pd(0) (PPh3 )4 ]) have been investigated in THF and DMF and the rate constants have been determined. In contrast to the generally accepted concerted mechanism, Hammett plots obtained for substituted 2-halopyridines and solvent effects reveal a reaction mechanism dependent on the halide X of HetX: an unprecedented SN Ar-type mechanism for X=Br or Cl and a classical concerted mechanism for X=I. These results are supported by DFT studies.

Despite the hazardous nature of isocyanates, they remain key building blocks in bulk and fine chemical synthesis. By surrogating them with less potent and readily available formamide precursors, we herein demonstrate an alternative, mechanistic approach to selectively access a broad range of ureas, carbamates and heterocycles via a ruthenium-based pincer complex catalyzed acceptorless dehydrogenative coupling reactions. The design of these highly atom-efficient procedures was driven by the identification and characterization of the relevant organometallic complexes, uniquely exhibiting the trapping of an isocyanate intermediate. DFT calculations further contributed to shed light on the remarkably orchestrated chain of catalytic events, involving metal-ligand cooperation. ASSOCIATED CONTENTSupporting Information. The Supporting Information is available free of charge via the Internet at http://pubs.acs.org."Experimental details of synthetic procedures, NMR spectra, X-ray data, and computational details (PDF) Crystallographic data for 6, 7 and 9 (CIF)

The activation of the C-H bond of 1-phenylpyrazole (2) and 2-phenyl-2-oxazoline (3) by [Ru(OAc)2(p-cymene)] is an autocatalytic process catalyzed by the co-product HOAc. The reactions are indeed faster in the presence of acetic acid and water but slower in the presence of a base K2CO3. A reactivity order is established in the absence of additives: 2-phenylpyridine>2-phenyl-2-oxazoline>1-phenylpyrazole (at RT). The accelerating effect of added acetate ions reveals an intermolecular deprotonation after C-H bond activation by a cationic Ru(II) center (SE 3 mechanism). The reactions of 1-phenylpyrazole and 2-phenyl-2-oxazoline first lead to the neutral cyclometalated complexes A2 and A3 ligated by one acetate. The latter dissociate to the cationic complexes B2(+) and B3(+), respectively, and acetate. A slow incorporation of one or two D atoms into 2, 3, and 2-phenylpyridine (1) was observed in the presence of deuterated acetic acid. The "reversibility" of the C-H bond activation/deprotonation takes place from the cationic complexes Bn(+) (n=1-3). They are also involved in oxidative additions to PhI, which are rate-determining and lead to the mono- and bis-phenylated products at high temperatures. A general mechanism is proposed for the arylation of arenes 1-3 catalyzed by [Ru(OAc)2(p-cymene)]. In contrast, the reaction of Pd(OAc)2 with 2-phenylpyridine (1), is much faster: Pd(OAc)2>[Ru(OAc)2(p-cymene)]. Since the kinetics is not affected by added acetates, the reaction proceeds through a CMD mechanism assisted by a ligated acetate (intramolecular process) and is irreversible. A bis-cyclometalated Pd(II)^Pd(II) dimer D'1 is formed whose bielectronic electrochemical oxidation leads to a [Pd(III)^Pd(III)](2+) dimer, in agreement with the result of a reported chemical oxidation used in arene functionalizations catalyzed by Pd(OAc)2.

Molecular catalysts have been shown to have high selectivity for CO2 electrochemical reduction to CO, but with current densities significantly below those obtained with solid‐state materials. By depositing a simple Fe porphyrin mixed with carbon black onto a carbon paper support, it was possible to obtain a catalytic material that could be used in a flow cell for fast and selective conversion of CO2 to CO. At neutral pH (7.3) a current density as high as 83.7 mA cm−2 was obtained with a CO selectivity close to 98 %. In basic solution (pH 14), a current density of 27 mA cm−2 was maintained for 24 h with 99.7 % selectivity for CO at only 50 mV overpotential, leading to a record energy efficiency of 71 %. In addition, a current density for CO production as high as 152 mA cm−2 (>98 % selectivity) was obtained at a low overpotential of 470 mV, outperforming state‐of‐the‐art noble metal based catalysts.

Glycolic acid is a useful and important α‐hydroxy acid that has broad applications. Herein, the homogeneous ruthenium catalyzed reforming of aqueous ethylene glycol to generate glycolic acid as well as pure hydrogen gas, without concomitant CO2 emission, is reported. This approach provides a clean and sustainable direction to glycolic acid and hydrogen, based on inexpensive, readily available, and renewable ethylene glycol using 0.5 mol % of catalyst. In‐depth mechanistic experimental and computational studies highlight key aspects of the PNNH‐ligand framework involved in this transformation.