Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 8, 2026

The Synthesis, Characterization and Reactivity of a Series of Ruthenium N-triphosPh Complexes
Published on: April 10, 2015
Hydroxycarbonyl complexes as key intermediates in the base-assisted reduction of ruthenium carbonyls
Arup Sinha1, Tapas Ghatak, Jitendra K Bera
1Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Kanpur, 208016, India.
Abstract:
Since the recognition of metal-hydroxycarbonyl (or, metallacarboxylic acid) as a key intermediate in water gas shift (WGS) catalysis, numerous metal complexes incorporating hydroxycarbonyl ligands have been synthesized. In this Perspective, a brief account on the chemistry of metallacarboxylic acid and metallacarboxylate is presented. Special emphasis is placed on the hydroxycarbonyl-bridged dinuclear compounds. The relevance of hydroxycarbonyl complexes in the base-assisted reduction of ruthenium carbonyls is investigated. In particular, Lavigne's synthesis of Roper's catalyst Ru(CO)(2)(PPh(3))(3), triruthenium dodecacarbonyl Ru(3)(CO)(12), and Bera's mechanistic investigation on the preparation of the metal-metal singly bonded diruthenim(I) complex [Ru(2)(CO)(4)(CH(3)CN)(6)](2+) are described in detail. These reactions involve the decarboxylation of a "[Ru(m)(COOH)(n)]" species, followed by the reductive elimination of HX (X = H, Cl or OH), steps akin to WGS catalysis. The prospect of hydroxycarbonyl chemistry in the development of bimetallic catalysis is examined.
Related Concept Videos
Alcohols from Carbonyl Compounds: Reduction
Catalytic hydrogenation is similar to the reduction of an alkene or alkyne by adding H2 across the pi bond in the presence of transition metal catalysts like Raney Ni, Pd–C, Pt, or Ru. Aldehydes and ketones can be reduced by this method, often under mild to moderate heat (25–100°C) and...
Carboxylic Acids to Primary Alcohols: Hydride Reduction
Preparation of Aldehydes and Ketones from Nitriles and Carboxylic Acids
Reducing carboxylic acid derivatives like acyl chlorides (RCOCl), esters (RCO2R′), and nitriles (RCN) using milder aluminum hydride agents like lithium tri-tert-butoxyaluminum hydride [LiAlH(O-t-Bu)3] and diisobutylaluminum hydride [DIBAL-H] allows...
Preparation of Aldehydes and Ketones from Carboxylic Acid Derivatives
Carboxylic acid derivatives like acid chlorides and esters are more easily reducible than the corresponding acids. The derivatives reduce in the presence of mild reducing agents to give aldehydes. Aldehydes can also be prepared by Rosenmund reduction, that is, the reduction of acid...
Reduction of Alkenes: Asymmetric Catalytic Hydrogenation
The metal catalyst used can be either heterogeneous or homogeneous. When hydrogenation of an alkene generates a chiral center, a pair of enantiomeric products is expected to form. However, an enantiomeric excess of one of the products can be facilitated using an enantioselective reaction or an...
Aldehydes and Ketones to Alkanes: Wolff–Kishner Reduction

