A versatile ruthenium(II)-NNC complex catalyst for transfer hydrogenation of ketones and Oppenauer-type oxidation of alcohols.

A ruthenium(II)-NNC pincer complex containing an unsymmetrical tridentate pyrazolyl-pyridyl-tolyl ligand was synthesized and structually characterized. This complex exhibited excellent catalytic activity for the transfer hydrogenation of ketones in 2-propanol at reflux, and for the Oppenauer-type dehydrogenative oxidation of alcohols in acetone at reflux (see scheme).