Binuclear ruthenium complexes of fluorous phosphine ligands: Synthesis, properties, and biphasic catalytic activity. Crystal structure of [Ru(μ-O2CMe)(CO)2P(CH2CH2(CF2)5CF3)3]2

The fluorocarbon soluble, binuclear ruthenium(I) complexes [Ru(μ-O2CMe)(CO)2LF]2, where LF is the perfluoroalkyl substituted tertiary phosphine, P(C6H4-4-CH2CH2(CF2)7CF3)3, or P(CH2CH2(CF2)5CF3)3, were synthesized and partition coefficients for the complexes in fluorocarbon/hydrocarbon biphases were determined. Catalytic hydrogenation of acetophenone to 1-phenylethanol in benzotrifluoride at 105 °C occured in the presence of either [Ru(μ-O2CMe)(CO)2P(C6H4-4-CH2CH2(CF2)7CF3)3]2 (1) or [Ru(μ-O2CMe)(CO)2P(CH2CH2(CF2)5CF3)3]2 (2). The X-ray crystal structure of [Ru(μ-O2CMe)(CO)2P(CH2CH2(CF2)5CF3)3]2 was determined. The compound exhibited discrete regions of fluorous and non-fluorous packing.

Graphical abstractDimeric ruthenium complexes, ligated by fluorous soluble tertiary phosphines, exhibit catalytic activity in a Fluorous Biphasic Catalytic System. Acetophenone is hydrogenated to provide 1-phenylethanol.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide