Transfer hydrogenation of a carbonyl compound in glycerol-based solvent mixtures

Three representative carbonyl compounds were efficiently hydrogenated in a glycerol-triac etin e or glycerol-tributyrin mixture. The addition of triacetin to glycerol favorably altered the polarity of the reaction mixture, thereby increasing the solubility of reactants and, in turn, reactant conversion rates. Maximum conversion was detected in an 80%-20% a glycerol-triacetin mixture ( 80 :2 0 ) in the presence of a Ru(p-cymene)Cl 2-dimer catalyst.