Boosting main group catalysts by just a pinch of Fe0

We found that one of the best group 2 metal hydrogenation catalysts is the combination Ba⁰ / BaH₂. Activities for hydrogenation of benzene-to-cyclohexane can be even boosted further by by the combination Fe⁰ / BaH₂. In fact, any main group catalyst is accelerated by “just a pinch of iron”! We propose interplay between a heterogeneous Fe⁰ catalyst (activating benzene) and a main group metal hydride complex (attacking benzene).

Nature Commun.  2022, 3210
Teaming up main group metals with metallic iron to boost hydrogenation catalysis
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-30840-4

Angew. Chem., Int. Ed. 2021, 60, 4252
Metallic barium: a versatile and efficient hydrogenation catalyst
DOI: 10.1002/anie.202014326