Table 3. Substrate scope in the hydrogenation of amides to alcohols and amines catalyzed by Mn-2 complex.

Entry a	Amide	Mn-2 (mol%)	Conv. b (%)	Yield of amine b (%)	Yield of alcohol b (%)
1		2	>99	96	90
2		2	94	88	85
3		2	>99	90	n.d.
4		2	90	84	80
5		4	85	81	75
6		4	>99	>99	>99
7		3	94	85	80
8 c		3	>99	>99	90
9		4	95	94	90
10		4	85	82	80
11		4	>99	98	94
12		4	95	92	90
13 c		4	>99	>99	>99
14 d		2	95	90	85
15 c , d		2	82	81	78
16 d		3	>99	>99	>99
17 c , d		4	>99	>99	90
18 c , d		5	98	97	96

^aStandard reaction conditions: amide (0.25 mmol), Mn-2 cat. (2–5 mol%), KO^tBu (2.8 mg, 0.025 mmol, 10 mol%), cyclohexane (2 mL), 30 bar of H₂, 100 °C over 16 h.

^bConversion of the amide and yield of the alcohol and amine were calculated by GC using hexadecane as external standard.

^cThe reaction was carried out using cyclohexane/t-amylOH (1.5/0.5) mixture as solvent (2 mL).

^dRun at 120 °C.