Syntheses, Structures, and Catalytic Properties of Ruthenium(II) Nitrosyl Complexes with Pyridine-Functionalized N-Heterocyclic Carbenes

Base-free synthesis of benchtop stable Ru(III)-NHC complexes from RuCl3·3H2O and their use as precursors for Ru(II)-NHC complexes

A series of Ru(III)-NHC complexes, identified as [Ru^III(PyNHC^R)(Cl)₃(H₂O)] (1a-c), have been prepared, starting from RuCl₃·3H₂O following a base-free route. The Lewis acidic Ru(III) centre operates via a halide-assisted, electrophilic C-H activation for carbene generation. The best results were obtained with azolium salts having the I^- anion, while ligand precursors with Cl^-, BF₄^-, and PF₆^- gave no complex formation and those with Br^- gave a product with mixed halides. The structurally simple, air and moisture-stable complexes represent rare examples of paramagnetic Ru(III)-NHC complexes. Furthermore, these benchtop stable Ru(III)-NHC complexes were shown to be excellent metal precursors for the synthesis of new [Ru^II(PyNHC^R)(Cl)₂(PPh₃)₂] (2a-c) and [Ru^II(PyNHC^R)(CNC^Me)I]PF₆ (3a-c) complexes. All the complexes have been characterised using spectroscopic methods, and the structures of 1a, 1b, 2c, and 3a have been determined using the single-crystal X-ray diffraction technique. This work allows easy access to new Ru-NHC complexes for the study of new properties and novel applications.

Conformation, hydration, and ligand exchange process of ruthenium nitrosyl complexes in aqueous solution: Free-energy calculations by a combination of molecular-orbital theories and different solvent models

Distribution of solvent molecules near transition-metal complex is key information to comprehend the functionality, reactivity, and so forth. However, polarizable continuum solvent models still are the standard and conventional partner of molecular-orbital (MO) calculations in the solution system including transition-metal complex. In this study, we investigate the conformation, hydration, and ligand substitution reaction between NO₂ ^- and H₂ O in aqueous solution for [Ru(NO)(OH)(NO₂ )₄ ]^2- (A), [Ru(NO)(OH)(NO₂ )₃ (ONO)]^2- (B), and [Ru(NO)(OH)(NO₂ )₃ (H₂ O)]^- (C) using a combination method of MO theories and a state-of-the-art molecular solvation technique (NI-MC-MOZ-SCF). A dominant species is found in the complex B conformers and, as expected, different between the solvent models, which reveals that molecular solvation beyond continuum media treatment are required for a reliable description of solvation near transition-metal complex. In the stability constant evaluation of ligand substitution reaction, an assumption that considers the direct association between the dissociated NO₂ ^- and complex C is useful to obtain a reliable stability constant.

Bidentate Donor-Functionalized N-Heterocyclic Carbenes: Valuable Ligands for Ruthenium-Catalyzed Transfer Hydrogenation

Ruthenium complexes are by far the most studied compounds that catalyze hydrogen transfer reactions. In this review, we describe the use in this field of ruthenium complexes bearing bidentate donor-functionalized N-heterocyclic carbene ligands. The review specifically covers the application in transfer hydrogenations of (κ²-C_NHC,Y)-ruthenacyclic compounds where the Y donor atom is a N, P, O, or S atom, and where the N-heterocyclic carbene ligand is a classical imidazol-2-ylidene, a benzimidazol-2-ylidene, a mesoionic 1,2,3-triazolylidene, or an imidazol-4-ylidene ligand. Tridentate donor-functionalized N-heterocyclic carbene complexes thus fall outside the scope of the review. Applications in (asymmetric) transfer hydrogenation of ketones, aldehydes, imines, alkenes, and nitrobenzene are discussed.

Recent Development in the Synthesis and Catalytic Application of Iridacycles

Cyclometallated complexes are well-known and have found many applications. This article provides a short review on the progress made in the synthesis and application to catalysis of cyclometallated half-sandwich Cp*Ir(III) complexes (Cp*: pentamethylcyclopentadienyl) since 2017. Covered in the review are iridacycles featuring conventional C,N chelates and less common metallocene and carbene-derived C,N and C,C ligands. This is followed by an overview of the studies of their applications in catalysis ranging from asymmetric hydrogenation, transfer hydrogenation, hydrosilylation to dehydrogenation.

Nitrosylruthenium Complexes as Polymerization Catalysts for Acrylonitrile in DMF

Nitrosylruthenium complexes bearing two 2,2'-bipyridine (bpy) or 2-pyridinecarboxylate (pyc) ligands, [Ru(NO)X(bpy)₂ ]³⁺ (X=CH₃ CN, CH₂ =CHCN, H₂ O, Cl, ONO₂ ) and [Ru(NO)(OH₂ )(pyc)₂ ]⁺ , were used as catalysts for the polymerization of acrylonitrile in N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) under air without initiators to obtain polyacrylonitrile (PAN) with a high molecular weight and a narrow molecular weight distribution.

Octahedral Ruthenium Complex with Exclusive Metal-Centered Chirality for Highly Effective Asymmetric Catalysis

A novel ruthenium catalyst is introduced which contains solely achiral ligands and acquires its chirality entirely from octahedral centrochirality. The configurationally stable catalyst is demonstrated to catalyze the alkynylation of trifluoromethyl ketones with very high enantioselectivity (up to >99% ee) at low catalyst loadings (down to 0.2 mol%).

Donor functionalized ruthenium N-heterocyclic carbene complexes in alcohol oxidation reactions

Ruthenium chelates bearing N^C^O-donors in bidentate or pincer coordination modes have been prepared. The ruthenium pincer complex catalyses the oxidation of alcohols to the corresponding aldehydes with yields as high as 99%.

[1-tert-Butyl-3-(pyridin-2-ylmethyl-κN)imidazol-2-yl-idene-κC]carbonyl-dichlorido(dimethyl sulfoxide-κS)ruthenium(II)

In the title complex, [RuCl(2)(C(13)H(17)N(3))(C(2)H(6)OS)(CO)], the coordination environment around the Ru atom is slightly distorted octa-hedral. The Cl atoms are mutually trans to the dimethyl sulfoxide ligand and the imidazole carbene C atom, respectively. The carbonyl ligand is located trans to the pyridine N atom.

Mononuclear ruthenium(III) complexes containing chelating thiosemicarbazones: synthesis, characterization and catalytic property

Mononuclear ruthenium(III) complexes of the type [RuX(EPh(3))(2)(L)] (E=P or As; X=Cl or Br; L=dibasic terdentate dehydroacetic acid thiosemicarbazones) have been synthesized from the reaction of thiosemicarbazone ligands with ruthenium(III) precursors, [RuX(3)(EPh(3))(3)] (where E=P, X=Cl; E=As, X=Cl or Br) and [RuBr(3)(PPh(3))(2)(CH(3)OH)] in benzene. The compositions of the complexes have been established by elemental analysis, magnetic susceptibility measurement, FT-IR, UV-vis and EPR spectral data. These complexes are paramagnetic and show intense d-d and charge transfer transitions in dichloromethane. The complexes show rhombic EPR spectra at LNT which are typical of low-spin distorted octahedral ruthenium(III) species. All the complexes are redox active and display an irreversible metal centered redox processes. Complex [RuCl(PPh(3))(2)(DHA-PTSC)] (5) was used as catalyst for transfer hydrogenation of ketones in the presence of isopropanol/KOH and was found to be the active species.