Both
CO and N<sub>2</sub>O are important, environmentally harmful
industrial gases. The reaction of CO and N<sub>2</sub>O to produce
CO<sub>2</sub> and N<sub>2</sub> has stimulated much research interest
aimed at degradation of these two gases in a single step. Herein,
we report an efficient CO oxidation by N<sub>2</sub>O catalyzed by
a (PNN)Ru–H pincer complex under mild conditions, even with
no added base. The reaction is proposed to proceed through a sequence
of O-atom transfer (OAT) from N<sub>2</sub>O to the Ru–H bond
to form a Ru–OH intermediate, followed by intramolecular OH
attack on an adjacent CO ligand, forming CO<sub>2</sub> and N<sub>2</sub>. Thus, the Ru–H bond of the catalyst plays a central
role in facilitating the OAT from N<sub>2</sub>O to CO, providing
an efficient and novel protocol for CO oxidation
