Abstract:

In this study, reactions of (PPh2)2NCH2CH2N(PPh2)2 (L1) and {(PPh2)2NCH2CH2}3N (L2) with [RuII(acac)2(CH3CN)2] led to the production of new dinuclear complex [Ru(acac)2]2(L1) (1) and trinuclear complex [Ru(acac)2]3(L2) (2). Complex 1 and 2 are excellent candidates for the role of catalyst precursors in the transfer hydrogenation (TH) of acetophenone and its derivatives. Compared to complex (1), the trinuclear complex (2) is an exceptional catalyst, producing the corresponding alcohols in 98–99% yields in 20 minutes at 80 oC (TOF≤300 h-1) for the TH process. A comparison of the catalytic properties of the complexes is also briefly discussed. Complex structures have also been characterized by combining nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), and elemental analysis.

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