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Updated: Nov 11, 2025
The Synthesis, Characterization and Reactivity of a Series of Ruthenium N-triphosPh Complexes
Published on: April 10, 2015
CO2 Hydrogenation Catalyzed by a Ruthenium Protic N-Heterocyclic Carbene Complex
M Cecilia Johnson1, Dylan Rogers1, Werner Kaminsky1
1Department of Chemistry, University of Washington, Box 351700, Seattle, Washington 98195-1700, United States.
Abstract:
We describe the hydrogenation of CO2 to formate catalyzed by a Ru(II) bis(protic N-heterocyclic carbene, p-NHC) phosphine complex [Ru(bpy)(MeCN)(PPh(p-NHC)2)](PF6)2 (1). Under catalytic conditions (20 μmol catalyst, 20 bar CO2, 60 bar H2, 5 mL THF, 140 °C, 16 h), the activity of 1 is limited only by the amount of K3PO4 present in the reaction, yielding a nearly 1:1 ratio of turnover number (TON) to equivalents of K3PO4 (relative to 1), with the highest TON = 8040. Additionally, analysis of the reaction solution post-run reveals the catalyst intact with no free ligand observed. Stoichiometric studies, including examination of unique carbamate and hydride complexes as relevant intermediates, were carried out to probe the operative mechanism and understand the importance of metal-ligand cooperativity in this system.
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