[IrCl(cod)]2 and [Cp*IrCl2]2 complexes catalyzed efficiently the Guerbet reaction of primary alcohols to beta-alkylated dimer alcohols in good yields. For instance, the reaction of 1-butanol in the presence of [Cp*IrCl2]2 (1 mol %), t-BuOK (40 mol %), and 1,7-octadiene (10 mol %) produced 2-ethyl-1-hexanol in 93% yield. Various primary alcohols undergo the Guerbet reaction under the influence of Ir complexes to give the corresponding dimer alcohols in good yields. This method provides an alternative direct route to beta-alkylated primary alcohols which are prepared by aldol condensation of aldehydes followed by hydrogenation.

Ethanol was efficiently converted into n-butanol in the presence of a catalytic amount of [Ir(acac)(cod)], 1,7-octadiene, and EtONa. This method provides an efficient alternative approach to n-butanol which is conventionally manufactured by oxo process of propylene with H2 and CO followed by hydrogenation of butyraldehyde.

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Lange Ketten brauchen länger: Ausgehend von ω‐Arylalkanolen führt eine atomökonomische Route zu α,ω‐Diarylalkanen, wobei je nach der Länge der Alkylkette eine oder zwei Stufen benötigt werden. Die Reaktionsfolge umfasst die Bildung von β‐Methylhydroxy‐α,ω‐diarylalkanen durch Dehydrierung und β‐Alkylierung sowie eine anschließende Dehydrierung und Decarbonylierung.