Transfer-hydrogenation reactions of ketones/aldehydes in water using first generation ruthenium indenylidene olefin metathesis catalyst: One step towards sequential cross-metathesis/transfer hydrogenation reactions

Abstract

The transfer hydrogenation reactions of various ketones/aldehydes and one-pot cross-metathesis/transfer hydrogenation (CM/TH) reactions of 10-undecenal were carried out in water media using first generation ruthenium-indenylidene complex (M1). A stable emulsion with an average particle size of 23.00 (±7.20) nm was formed in water media using non-ionic (Tween 20) and cationic (dodecyltrimethylammonium chloride) surfactants in the presence of acetophenone, M1 (1%) and sodium formate, yielding corresponding alcohol derivatives in quantitative yields.The performance of M1 (5%) was tested on sequential cross-metathesis/transfer hydrogenation reaction of 10-undecenal using methyl acrylate as the cross-metathesis partner in water. The sequential CM/TH reaction of 10-undecenal was found to proceed even in tap water under air atmosphere using micellar catalyst system, giving the corresponding CM/TH product in 65% yield.