Synthesis and catalytic evaluation of a ruthenium alkylidene complex bearing methoxy-pyridine ligand

•A new ruthenium complex, (PCy3)(3-MeOPy)2(Cl)2RuCHPh, was synthesized.•Synthesized complex was tested as an active catalyst in model ROMP reactions.•The effect of time, temperature and catalyst loading were evaluated.•New ROMP polymers were obtained in high yields.

Modern well-defined ruthenium alkylidene complexes became preferred catalysts for a great variety of metathesis reactions. In this study, an air-stable new ruthenium alkylidene catalyst bearing 3-methoxypyridine has been prepared in one pot at high yields using commercially available [(PCy3)2Cl2RuCHPh] catalyst. Ruthenium based complex, (PCy3)(3-MeOPy)2(Cl)2RuCHPh, was characterized by a 1H NMR doublet at 20.00 (J = 11.9 Hz) for the RuCH proton. The catalyst was tested in model ROMP reactions and found to be very effective for ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP). The optimal conditions for the polymerization of exo-N-benzylnorbornene-5,6-dicarboximide using the newly synthesized catalytic system were determined.

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