# Catalytic C-C Bond Forming Hydrogenations

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN · 2021 · $358,530

## Abstract

Project Summary: As exemplified by the Haber-Bosch reaction, which sustains half the human
population, and enantioselective hydrogenation, which (beyond resolution of racemates) is the
foremost chemical method used to create chiral pharmaceutical and agrochemical ingredients,
catalytic hydrogenation has had a greater impact on humanity than any other chemical process.
Prior to our work, the sole example of a “C-C bond forming hydrogenation” was hydroformylation,
which is now the largest application of homogenous metal catalysis. My laboratory has
pioneered a broad, new family of metal-catalyzed carbonyl reductive couplings that exploit
feedstock pronucleophiles in combination with safe, inexpensive feedstock reductants (H2, 2-
PrOH, HCO2H), and related H2-autotransfer processes (ROH = reductant & proelectrophile) that
directly convert lower alcohols to higher alcohols. These transformations bypass stoichiometric
organometallic reagents and the issues of safety, selectivity, and waste associated with their
use, offering a byproduct-free alternative to a range of classical carbonyl or imine additions. In
the proposed funding period, this reactivity pattern will be extended to couplings of α-olefins and
C-X pronucleophiles, the use of amine proelectrophiles, the formation of quaternary
stereocenters and use of base metal catalysts. Our ultimate objective is to develop
environmentally benign methods for the conversion of inexpensive chemical feedstocks to value-
added building blocks for use in the manufacture of pharmaceutical and agrochemical
ingredients.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10026957
- **Project number:** 2R01GM069445-17
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN
- **Principal Investigator:** MICHAEL J KRISCHE
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $358,530
- **Award type:** 2
- **Project period:** 2005-03-15 → 2025-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10026957

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10026957, Catalytic C-C Bond Forming Hydrogenations (2R01GM069445-17). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10026957. Licensed CC0.

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