Degradation of the ruthenium-based metathesis catalyst [RuCl2(CHPh)(H2IPr)(PCy3)] with primary alcohols

A new ruthenium hydride species, showing high catalytic isomerization and hydrogenation properties, was isolated via a ligand exchange reaction. The same species was also present in the mixture of degradation products of the monophosphinic complex RuCl(CO)(PCy)(3)(IPr)CH(Ph), 3, after reaction with alcohols under basic conditions. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.