01754nas a2200205   4500008004100000245008400041210006900125260000800194300001400202490000600216520106600222100001601288700002001304700002301324700002101347700002201368700002301390700002201413856011301435       2011                        eng d00aCatalytic dehydroaromatization of n-alkanes by pincer-ligated iridium complexes0 aCatalytic dehydroaromatization of nalkanes by pincerligated irid  cDEC  a167–1710 v33 a<p>Aromatic hydrocarbons are among the most important building blocks in the chemical industry. Benzene, toluene and xylenes are obtained from the high temperature thermolysis of alkanes. Higher alkylaromatics are generally derived from arene–olefin coupling, which gives branched products—that is, secondary alkyl arenes—with olefins higher than ethylene. The dehydrogenation of acyclic alkanes to give alkylaromatics can be achieved using heterogeneous catalysts at high temperatures, but with low yields and low selectivity. We present here the first catalytic conversion of n-alkanes to alkylaromatics using homogeneous or molecular catalysts—specifically ‘pincer’-ligated iridium complexes—and olefinic hydrogen acceptors. For example, the reaction of n-octane affords up to 86% yield of aromatic product, primarily o-xylene and secondarily ethylbenzene. In the case of n-decane and n-dodecane, the resulting alkylarenes are exclusively unbranched (that is, n-alkyl-substituted), with selectivity for the corresponding o-(n-alkyl)toluene.</p>1 aAhuja, Ritu1 aPunji, Benudhar1 aFindlater, Michael1 aSupplee, Carolyn1 aSchinski, William1 aBrookhart, Maurice1 aGoldman, Alan, S.  uhttps://library.ncl.res.in/content/catalytic-dehydroaromatization-n-alkanes-pincer-ligated-iridium-complexes