Ruthenium(II) complexes bearing bidentate acylthiourea ligands for direct oxidation of amine α-carbon to amide

Abstract

In this study, the synthesis and structural characterization of ruthenium complexes supported by S,O-acylthiourea ligands (L1-L6) with different substituent groups as well as auxiliary ligands PPH3, CO, and Cl and their evaluation as catalysts for direct oxidation of the α-methylene group in amines were reported. Ru(II) complexes, Ru1-Ru6, were prepared from the reaction of the RuH(CO)Cl(PPh3)3 precursor and ligands L1-L6 having different electronic and steric properties. The ligands and complexes prepared were characterized by FT-IR, 1H–13C- and/or 31P NMR spectroscopic techniques. The molecular structures of Ru1 and Ru3 complexes with appropriate crystal quality were also confirmed by X-ray single crystal analysis. Solid-state structures of Ru1 and Ru3 revealed that the ruthenium center is surrounded by one carbonyl, one chloride, two PPh3 ligands, and the S,O-donor atoms from the acylthiourea ligand in bidentate monoanionic form. The catalytic activity of all complexes for the α-oxygenation reactions of primary benzylic amines to amides was investigated. Overall, all catalysts exhibited excellent activity and selectivity towards the formation of amide production under the present reaction conditions. In addition, both catalyst activation and product selectivity/formation were particularly dependent on the amount/type of base and oxygen.