A low temperature transfer hydrogenation of Ndouble bond; length as m-dashN, Cdouble bond; length as m-dashO or Cdouble bond; length as m-dashC bond using rhodium bipyridine catalysts

Some pre-activated rhodium bipyridine complexes cis-[Rh(N–N)2Cl2]Cl are catalytically active at temperatures between 5 and 20 °C in the transfer hydrogenation from propan-2-ol to Ndouble bond; length as m-dashN, Cdouble bond; length as m-dashO or Cdouble bond; length as m-dashC double bond. Azobenzene is reduced at 20 °C with a conversion of 54.2%, while acetophenone is hydrogenated for 34.1%. The Cdouble bond; length as m-dashC double bond of benzylidenacetone is reduced even at 5 °C with a conversion of 17.2%, while a complete conversion is obtained at 40 °C.