title: Lewis-acid assisted cross metathesis of acrylonitrile with functionalized olefins catalyzed by phosphine-free ruthenium carbene complex.
abstract: The exchange of the PPh3 ligand in the complex [1,3-bis(2,6-dimethylphenyl)4,5-dihydroimidazol-2-ylidene](PPh3)(Cl)2Ru=CHPh (7) for a pyridine ligand at ambient temperature leads to the formation of the stable phosphine-free carbene ruthenium complex [1,3-bis(2,6-dimethylphenyl)4,5-dihydroimidazol-2-ylidene](C5H5N)2(Cl)2 Ru=CHPh (8). The resulted ruthenium complex exhibits highly catalytic activity for the cross metathesis of acrylonitrile with various functionalized olefins under mild conditions, and its activity can be further improved by the addition of a Lewis acid such as Ti(OiPr)4. In the mixture products, the Z-isomer predominates.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, Dalian University of Technology, No. 158 Zhongshan Road, Dalian, 116012, PR China.
authors.forename: Chen-Xi
authors.initials: CX
authors.lastname: Bai
authors.forename: Xiao-Bing
authors.initials: XB
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Ren
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Wen-Zhen
authors.initials: WZ
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Xiu-Juan
authors.initials: XJ
authors.lastname: Feng