Catalytic activities of new arsine-dihydrido ruthenium(II) complexes in the homogeneous hydrogenation of aldehyde

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/0277-5387(96)00108-8

A series of new arsine-dihydrido ruthenium(II) complexes, [RuH₂(CO) (AsPh₃)₃] (1) and [RuH₂(CO)(AsPh₃)(L-L)], [L-L = diars (2), arphos (3), diphos (4)], has been synthesized and characterized by IR, ¹H NMR and elemental analysis. The catalytic activities of these complexes for the hydrogenation of propionaldehyde to yield propan-1-ol have been examined at 130°C and 30 atm hydrogen pressure, and compared with the catalytic activity of the well-known complex, [RuH₂(CO)(PPh₃)₃] (5). [RuH₂(CO) (AsPh₃)₃] showed lower catalytic activity than that of [RuH₂(CO) (PPh₃)₃]. Complexes having a chelate ring have shown higher catalytic activities than that of [RuH₂(CO)(AsPh₃)₃]. Overall, the catalytic activities were found to decrease in the order 4 > 3 > 2 > 5 > 1. Copyright