title: Protonolysis of a ruthenium-carbene bond and applications in olefin metathesis.
abstract: The synthesis of a ruthenium complex containing an N-heterocylic carbene (NHC) and a mesoionic carbene (MIC) is described wherein addition of a Brønsted acid results in protonolysis of the Ru-MIC bond to generate an extremely active metathesis catalyst. Mechanistic studies implicated a rate-determining protonation step in the generation of the metathesis-active species. The activity of the NHC/MIC catalyst was found to exceed those of current commercial ruthenium catalysts.
authors.affiliation: Arnold and Mabel Beckman Laboratories of Chemical Synthesis, Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, USA.
authors.forename: Benjamin K
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Keitz
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bouffard
authors.forename: Guy
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bertrand
authors.forename: Robert H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Grubbs
mesh_terms: D000475:Alkenes / Q000737:chemistry*; D002384:Catalysis; D008697:Methane / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000737:chemistry; D015394:Molecular Structure; D009942:Organometallic Compounds / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry; D011522:Protons; D012428:Ruthenium / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000475:Alkenes; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D011522:Protons; C030011:carbene; D012428:Ruthenium; D008697:Methane