Selective hydrogenation of nitriles to secondary amines catalyzed by a pyridyl-functionalized and alkenyl-tethered NHC-Ru(II) complex

A Ru(II) catalyst bearing pyridyl-functionalized and butenyl-tethered N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ligand selectively hydrogenates nitriles to secondary amines, and affords unsymmetrical secondary amines with external amines168