LAUSR

Abstract The dehydration reactions from primary amides to nitriles were catalyzed by the [CNC]-pincer hydrido cobalt(III) complexes [(ortho-F4C6 CH N C10H6)Co(III)(H)(PMe3)2] (1), [(2,5-F2C6H2 CH N C10H6)Co(III)(H)(PMe3)2] (2) and [(2,4,5-F3C6H CH N C10H6)Co(III)(H)(PMe3)2] (3) as catalysts with (EtO)3SiH as an efficient reducing agent. These hydrido cobalt(III) complexes as catalysts are suitable for many substrates and have good functional group tolerance. Among the three cobalt hydrides, complex 2 is the best catalyst. This is the first hydrido cobalt complex-catalyzed dehydration of primary amides to nitriles.