Solvent and phosphine dependency in the reaction of cis-RuCl2(P-P)2 (P-PÂ =Â dppm or dppe) with terminal alkynes

Reaction of cis-[RuCl2(dppm)2] with PhCCH in MeOH results in the formation of the butenynyl complex A. This species is an effective catalyst for the dimerisation of the same alkyne to Z-PhCCCHCHPh.