Methanol as the Hydrogen Source in the Selective Transfer Hydrogenation of Alkynes Enabled by a Manganese Pincer Complex

The first base metal-catalyzed transfer hydrogenation of alkynes with methanol is described. An air and moisture stable manganese pincer complex catalyzes the reduction of a variety of different alkynes to the corresponding ( Z )-olefins in high yields. The reaction is stereo- and chemoselective and scalable.