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Updated: Jul 24, 2025

The Synthesis, Characterization and Reactivity of a Series of Ruthenium N-triphosPh Complexes
Published on: April 10, 2015
Evidence for Ruthenium(II) Peralkene Complexes as Catalytic Species during the Isomerization of Terminal Alkenes in
Sergio Sanz-Navarro1, Jordi Ballesteros-Soberanas1, Aarón Martínez-Castelló2
1Instituto de Tecnología Química, Universitat Politècnica de València-Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Avda. de los Naranjos s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain.
Abstract:
The isomerization (chain-walking) reaction of terminal to internal alkenes is catalyzed by part-per-million amounts of practically any Ru source when the reaction is carried out with a neat terminal alkene. Here, we provide evidence that the soluble starting Ru sources evolve to catalytically active peralkene Ru(II) species under reaction conditions. These species may also explain the isomerization products found during other Ru-catalyzed alkene processes, i.e., alkene metathesis reactions. A Finke-Watzky mechanism for catalyst formation is consistent with the evidence obtained.
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