93122-07-7Relevant academic research and scientific papers
Cyclovoltammetric studies on the dimerization of methyl acrylate by ruthenium complexes
Strehblow, Claudia,Schupp, Thomas,Sustmann, Reiner
, p. 181 - 189 (1998)
Electrochemical measurements are described on transition metal complexes which are or might be catalyst precursors for the tail-to-tail dimerization of methyl acrylate (MA). Thus, RuH2(PPh3)4 and RuHCl(CO)(PPh3)3 are studied electrochemically by cyclic voltammetry (CV) in various solvents including neat MA. It is shown that the activation of the catalyst precursor RuH2(PPh3)4 with trifluoromethanesulfonic acid and of RuHCl(CO)(PPh3)3 with triethyloxonium tetrafluoroborate generates new complexes that are easy to reduce and rather difficult to oxidize. The electrochemical measurements provide information on the deactivation of the catalyst. CpRuH(PPH3)2, which can easily be oxidized but can not be reduced, even at -2.5 V versus SCE, does not act as a catalyst precursor neither in pure form nor in the presence of activating compounds. The ease of reduction or oxidation seems to be connected to a possible catalytic activity. It is, therefore, postulated that cyclic voltammetry can be a useful tool in the study of homogeneous transition metal catalysis.
