Ionic imidazolium containing ruthenium complexes and olefin metathesis in ionic liquids

The preparation of two ionic Hoveyda's type catalysts with an ionic chain, containing an imidazolium salt tag link to the ortho oxygen atom (11) and to the meta-position (12) of the styrenylidene ligand is presented. The catalysts are evaluated in ionic liquid medium: the 1-butyl-3-methyl and 1-butyl-2,3-dimethyl imidazolium salts (bmim)X-+(-) (X=PF6-, NTf2- (bistrifluoromethylsulfonimide)) for RCM of N,N-diallyltosylamide and dimethyldiallylmalonate. The catalysts show good activity for the first cycle with moderate recyclability. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.