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Updated: Jun 23, 2026

The Synthesis, Characterization and Reactivity of a Series of Ruthenium N-triphosPh Complexes
Published on: April 10, 2015
Ruthenium xantphos complexes in hydrogen transfer processes: reactivity and mechanistic studies
Araminta E W Ledger1, Paul A Slatford, John P Lowe
1Department of Chemistry, University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath, UK.
Abstract:
The in situ combination of [Ru(PPh3)3(CO)H2] with xantphos is catalytically active for the alkylation of alcohols with the ketonitrile (t)BuC(O)CH2CN in a model oxidation-Knoevenagel-reduction process. The precursor complex [Ru(xantphos)(PPh3)(CO)H2] was isolated and reacted with stoichiometric amounts of PhCH2OH and PhCHO. Under these conditions, the alcohol is decarbonylated to afford [Ru(xantphos)(CO)2H2] and finally [Ru(xantphos)(CO)3], both of which prove to be less active for catalysis than the starting complex. The reactivity of the xantphos system contrasts with that of [Ru(dppp)(PPh3)(CO)H2], which is catalytically inactive for the Knoevenagel reaction and fails to show any stoichiometric reactivity with alcohols.
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