10.1021/om010393q
The research focuses on the synthesis and characterization of ruthenium complexes, specifically Ru(PPh3)3(CO)(C2H4) (1) and RuH(o-C6H4C(O)CH3)(PPh3)2L (2, L = PPh3; 3, L = CO; 4, L = DMSO), which are relevant to the Murai reaction—a catalytic process involving the insertion of alkenes into the ortho C-H bond of aromatic ketones. The purpose of this study was to assess the activity of these complexes in catalyzing the Murai reaction. The researchers found that the tris(phosphine) cyclometalated complex RuH(o-C6H4C(O)CH3)(PPh3)3 (2) was the most active among the catalyst precursors tested for the reaction of 2′-methylacetophenone with CH2dCHSi(OEt)3. However, substitution of the PPh3 ligand in the equatorial coordination site by CO resulted in a complex with essentially zero catalytic activity, indicating that a weakly bound ligand is necessary for activity. The study concluded that while the prepared complexes have structural similarities to proposed intermediates in the Murai reaction, further investigations are needed to fully understand the catalytic pathway. The chemicals used in the process include various ruthenium complexes, acetophenone, 2′-methylacetophenone, triethoxyvinylsilane, and solvents such as toluene and tetrahydrofuran (THF).