Ruthenium Induced C−N Bond Activation of an N-Heterocyclic Carbene: 
Isolation of C- and N-Bound Tautomers

Burling, Suzanne; Mahon, Mary F.; Powell, Rachael E.; Whittlesey, Michael K.; M. J. Williams, Jonathan

doi:10.1021/ja065582k.s001

ja065582k_si_001.pdf (32.45 kB)

Ruthenium Induced C−N Bond Activation of an N-Heterocyclic Carbene: Isolation of C- and N-Bound Tautomers

journal contribution

posted on 2006-10-25, 00:00 authored by Suzanne Burling, Mary F. Mahon, Rachael E. Powell, Michael K. Whittlesey, Jonathan M. J. Williams

C−N bond activation of the N-heterocyclic carbene 1,3-diisopropyl-4,5-dimethylimidazol-2-ylidene occurs with Ru(PPh₃)₃(CO)HCl to give the C-2 bound 1-isopropyl-4,5-dimethylimidazol-2-ylidene complex Ru(C−IⁱPrHMe₂)(PPh₃)₂(CO)HCl via loss of propene. In the presence of free carbene, this undergoes tautomerism to the corresponding imidazole compound Ru(N−IⁱPrHMe₂)(PPh₃)₂(CO)HCl.