Carbonyl complexes as homogeneous and supported catalysts

Abstract

The use of carbonyl complexes in homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis is very briefly presented. The demonstrated and expected advantages of such catalysts and the knowledge-gap in these areas of research are highlighted. The results obtained in the author’s laboratory, for two specific reactions — the carbonylation of nitrobenzene and transfer hydrogenation of organic carbonyl compounds with ruthenium carbonyl clusters as catalysts — are discussed. Where empirical and rigorous kinetic analyses are not possible, the usefulness of building hypothetical catalytic cycles with fully characterised clusters to rationalise observed activity and/or selectivity is emphasised. A summary of recent work on organic polymer supported mono- and polynuclear metal carbonyls is also presented.