Ruthenium catalyzed hydrogen production from formaldehyde-water solution

To address the global energy demand, intensive efforts have been made to utilize liquid hydrogen storage materials to efficiently store and generate molecular hydrogen. Herein, we report selective production of hydrogen gas from formaldehyde and paraformaldehyde catalyzed by an in situ generated ruthenium imidazole complex under mild reaction conditions in water. This catalytic system involves the production of hydrogen from formaldehyde without the use of a base, which led us to achieve a turnover number of >12 000 in a long-term bulk reaction. Furthermore, mass investigation reveals the presence of several ruthenium imidazole species during the catalytic reaction suggesting the active participation of these species in the generation of hydrogen gas from formaldehyde.