Synthesis of some ruthenium(II)–Schiff base complexes bearing sulfonamide fragment: New catalysts for transfer hydrogenation of ketones

• A series of Ru(II)–Schiff base complexes bearing sulfonamide fragment synthesized.
• All the compounds characterized them by NMR, IR, elemental analysis, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction for 6.
• The catalytic tests demonstrated that all complexes (5–8) were active catalysts in the TH of acetophenone derivatives.

Four new ruthenium(II) complexes [RuCl(1–4)(p-cymene)] (1–4 = N-(3-(2-hydroxybenzylideneamino)phenyl) benzenesulfonamides) were synthesized from [RuCl2(p-cymene)]2 with Schiff base ligands containing aromatic sulfonamide fragment, and characterized by spectroscopic techniques including 1H and 13C NMR, FT-IR, single crystal X-ray diffraction and by elemental analysis. Additionally, all the synthesized Ru(II) complexes were tested as catalysts for the reactions in the transfer hydrogenation (TH) of acetophenone derivatives. The results showed that these facile synthesized Ru(II) complexes are efficient catalysts in this reaction (turnover frequency: 1260 h−1 for 6).

Herein, we report the facile preparation and evaluation of new Schiff base–Ru(II) complexes containing sulfonamide fragment. The catalytic experiments showed that all complexes are efficient catalysts for the reaction in the TH of ketones.Figure optionsDownload as PowerPoint slide