N,N-Dimethylformamide-stabilized ruthenium nanoparticle catalyst for ß-alkylated dimer alcohol formation via Guerbet reaction of primary alcohols.

N,N-Dimethylformamide-stabilized Ru nanoparticles (NPs) provide a highly efficient catalyst for the Guerbet reaction of primary alcohols. DMF-modified Ru NPs were synthesized, and characterized by transition electron microscopy, and X-ray absorption spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectronspectroscopy, and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. The Ru NP catalyst was highly durable during catalytic reactions under external additive/solvent-free conditions.