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Updated: Jun 12, 2026

The Synthesis, Characterization and Reactivity of a Series of Ruthenium N-triphosPh Complexes
Published on: April 10, 2015
Ruthenium-catalyzed hydrogenation of nitriles: insights into the mechanism
Rebeca Reguillo1, Mary Grellier, Nicolas Vautravers
1Laboratoire de Chimie de Coordination, CNRS, UPS, INPT, Université de Toulouse, 205 Route de Narbonne, F-31077 Toulouse, France.
Abstract:
Hydrogenation of benzonitrile into benzylamine is catalyzed under very mild conditions by the ruthenium bis(dihydrogen) complex RuH(2)(H(2))(2)(PCyp(3))(2), incorporating two tricyclopentylphosphines. Two key intermediates have been isolated, resulting from the activation of benzonitrile at early stages of activation, i.e., either N-coordination through the nitrile function or first hydrogenation with benzylimine formation, followed by, thanks to C-H activation, coordination at ruthenium as an orthometalated ligand.
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