PROPIONYL COMPLEXES OF RUTHENIUM DERIVED FROM THE REACTION OF ETHYLENE WITH RuHCl(CO)2(PPh3)2

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/0022-328X(84)80054-6

RuHCl(CO)2(PPh3)2 reacts with ethylene under mild conditions (25 psi, 80 deg C) to yield a propionyl derivative RuCl(CC2H5)(CO)(PPh3)2 which is believed to be coordinatively unsaturated.Unlike the acetyl analogue, RuCl(CC2H5)(CO)(PPh3)2 does not isomerize to RuCl(C2H5)(CO)2(PPh3)2 in solution.Under one atmosphere of carbon monoxide, RuCl(CC2H5)(CO)(PPh3)2 exists in equilibrium with two species believed to be RuCl(CC2H5)(CO)2(PPh3)2 and C2H5)(CO)3(PPh3)2>Cl.RuCl(CC2H5)(CO)(PPh3)2 reacts with CO/AgClO4 to give mer-C2H5)(CO)3(PPh3)2>ClO4,p-tolylisocyanide (RNC) and NaClO4 to give cis-C2H5)(CO)(CNR)2(PPh3)2>ClO4, and hydrochloric acid to yield the hydroxycarbene complex, RuCl2(CO)(CC2H5)(PPh3)2.