Synthesis 2025; 57(21): 3325-3333
DOI: 10.1055/s-0043-1773536
Paper
Published as part of the Special Topic Dedicated to Prof. Paul Knochel

Photochemical Activation of Ruthenium Complexes Containing Unsymmetrical Unsaturated N-Heterocyclic Carbenes for Olefin Metathesis

Autoren

  • Antonio Del Vecchio

    1   École Nationale Supérieure de Chimie de Rennes, CNRS, ISCR UMR 6226, Univ Rennes, Rennes, France
    2   Department of Chemistry and Industrial Chemistry, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
  • Fadwa Kamal

    1   École Nationale Supérieure de Chimie de Rennes, CNRS, ISCR UMR 6226, Univ Rennes, Rennes, France
  • Mathieu Rouen

    3   VIPO, Krokstadelva, Norway
  • Marc Mauduit

    1   École Nationale Supérieure de Chimie de Rennes, CNRS, ISCR UMR 6226, Univ Rennes, Rennes, France

This work was supported by the Association Nationale de la Recherche et de la Technologie (CIFRE n° 2017/0873, grants to F.K.) and Agence Nationale de la Recherche ‘France Relance’ (fellowship to A.D.V.).


Graphical Abstract

Dedication

Published in honor of Professor Paul Knochel’s 70th birthday.

Abstract

Olefin metathesis is a fundamental transformation in organic chemist’s toolbox. Herein we report a methodological study on a set of bench stable, latent, ruthenium-indenylidene catalysts bearing two unsymmetrical unsaturated N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ligands. These complexes are successfully ‘activated’ and applied to ring-closing metathesis (RCM), cross-metathesis (CM), and ring-opening cross metathesis (ROCM) upon light irradiation in the presence of an organic photoactivator. The transformations could be performed at lower catalyst loading (down to 1 mol%) compared to the state-of-the-art photochemical activation methods, providing good yields in shorter reaction time.



Publikationsverlauf

Eingereicht: 11. Februar 2025

Angenommen nach Revision: 19. März 2025

Artikel online veröffentlicht:
16. April 2025

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