Chelate-Assisted Oxidative Coupling Reaction of Arylamides and Unactivated Alkenes: Mechanistic Evidence for Vinyl C-H Bond Activation Promoted by an Electrophilic Ruthenium Hydride Catalyst

The cationic ruthenium hydride complex [(eta(6)-C(6)H(6))(PCy(3))(CO)RuH](+)BF(4)(-) was found to be a highly regioselective catalyst for the oxidative C H coupling reaction of aryl-substituted amides and unactivated alkenes to give o-alkenylamide products. The kinetic and spectroscopic analyses support a mechanism involving a rapid vinyl C-H activation followed by a rate-limiting C-C bond formation step.