4-Vinylbenzyl-substituted silver(I) N-heterocyclic carbene complexes and ruthenium(II) N-heterocyclic carbene complexes: synthesis and transfer hydrogenation of ketones

Abstract

4-Vinylbenzyl-substituted Ag(I) N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) complexes and Ru(II) NHC complexes have been synthesized. The Ag(I) complexes were synthesized from the imidazolium salts and Ag2O in dichloromethane at room temperature. The Ru(II) complexes were prepared from Ag(I) NHC complexes by transmetallation. The six 4-Vinylbenzyl-substituted Ag(I) NHC complexes and six 4-Vinylbenzyl-substituted Ru(II) NHC complexes have been characterized by spectroscopic techniques and elemental analyses. The Ru(II) NHC complexes show catalytic activity for the transfer hydrogenation of ketones.