Ruthenium-Catalyzed β-Alkylation of Secondary Alcohols with Primary Alcohols

Cyclopentadienyl (Cp), hydrotris(pyrazolyl)borato (Tp), and bipyridine ruthenium complexes were found to be active catalysts for the beta-alkylation of secondary alcohols with primary alcohols. Mechanistic aspects of the Cp and Tp complexes-catalyzed reactions were investigated; the crucial hydrido complexes were identified. Carbonyl complexes resulting from aldehyde decarbonylation were formed in some cases, and surprisingly, they were also found to be active for the catalytic processes.