(Phys.org)—Many industrially relevant reactions require either a precious metal catalyst or an Earth-abundant metal catalyst in a low oxidation state. A catalyst with a Fe(0) complex, for example, is a good catalyst for hydroboration and hydrosilylation, but the methods required to reduce iron are prohibitive for practical use.
Researchers from the University of Edinburgh in the UK have demonstrated that sodium tert-butoxide serves as a robust and generally applicable activator for Earth-abundant metal catalysts. They tested pre-catalyst complexes with iron, cobalt, manganese, and nickel. Their method used commercially available reagents and mild conditions. They also demonstrated that their sodium tert-butoxide method for catalyst activation works with a variety of functional groups and metal ligands. Their work appears in Nature Chemistry.