Preparation of a Series of Ru(II) Complexes with N-Heterocyclic Carbene Ligands for the Catalytic Transfer Hydrogenation of Aromatic Ketones

Abstract

The reaction of [RuCl <inf>2</inf>(p-cymene] <inf>2</inf> with Ag-N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) complexes yields a series of [(p-cymene)Ru(NHC)] complexes (2a-f). All synthesised compounds were characterized by elemental analysis, NMR spectroscopy and the molecular structure of 2a was determined by X-ray crystallography. All complexes have been tested as catalysts for the transfer hydrogenation of aromatic ketones, showing excellent activity in this reaction. © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2012.