Theoretical Investigation of the Selective CC Hydrogenation of Unsaturated Aldehydes Catalyzed by [{RuCl2(mtppms)2}2] in Acidic Media

Micro-chlorido, micro-hydroxo-bridged dicarbonyl ruthenacycles: synthesis, structure and catalytic properties in hydrogen atom transfer

Micro-chlorido, micro-hydroxo-bridged ruthenacycles containing the Ru(CO)2 motif were synthesized by reaction of micro-dichlorido-bridged congener complexes with water in the presence of disodium carbonate. The substitution of one chlorido ligand for one hydroxo occurs with high stereoselectivity affording essentially hydroxo-bridged ruthenacycles, whereby the OH ligand occupies axial positions with respect to the mean plane defined by the chelating ligand. According to computational DFT investigations this stereoselectivity stems from a marked transphobia of the hydroxo ligand towards the carbanion of the ruthenacycle. The catalytic properties of the title compounds in hydrogen atom transfer process and particularly in the partial hydrogenation of alkynes have been investigated.

Transfer Hydrogenation of Carbonyl Compounds and Alkenes Catalyzed by Ruthenium(II)-N-Heterocycle Carbene Complexes

The Ru(II)-N-heterocycle carbene complexes [RuCl2(η6-p-cymene)L] (L = 1-butyl-3-methylimid- azol-2-ylidene) and [RuCl(η6-p-cymene)L(pta)]Cl (pta = 1,3,5-triaza-7-phosphaadamantane) showed excellent catalytic activities (with turnover frequencies up to 1116 h-1) in the hydrogen transfer reduction of cinnamaldehyde and several ketones using propan-2-ol/KOH as a H-donor. Similar hydrogenations of trans-stilbene and cyclohexene were characterized by low conversions. The hydrogenation of 4-phenylbut-3-en-2-one and cinnamaldehyde proceeded with moderate selectivities of the formation of the saturated alcohol or of the of C=C hydrogenation (giving saturated ketone or saturated aldehyde). In the case of cinnamaldehyde, the unsaturated alcohol is initially formed; however, subsequent redox isomerization to the saturated aldehyde with the same catalyst diminishes its yield. The hydrogen transfer from formate to 4-phenylbut-3-en-2-one in an aqueous-organic two-phase mixture was also demonstrated.