Ruthenium catalysts bearing chelating carboxylate ligands: application to metathesis reactions in water

The novel catalytic system, composed of a ruthenium alkylidene containing a surfactant fragment in the catalysts molecule, is reported. Ring closing metathesis and cross metathesis reactions proceed efficiently in neat water at room temperature, in air, without need of adding an external surfactant. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.