Osmium Catalyst for the Borrowing Hydrogen Methodology: α-Alkylation of Arylacetonitriles and Methyl Ketones

Complex [Os(η 6 -p-cymene)(OH)(IPr)]OTf is an efficient catalyst precursor for the α-alkylation of arylacetonitriles and methyl ketones with alcohols, which works with turnover frequencies between 675 and 176 h –1 for nitriles and between 194 and 28 h –1 for ketones.