Ruthenium Carbene Mediated Metathesis of Oleate-Type Fatty Compounds

Abstract: The complexes RuCl₂(PCy₃)₂(=CHPh), 1, and RuCl₂(PCy₃)(H₂IMes)(=CHPh), 2, proved to be active catalysts for the self-metathesis of oleate-type fatty compounds containing the ester, hydroxyl, epoxy and carboxylic acid functional groups. At elevated reaction temperatures 2 showed a higher activity, stability and lower selectivity for primary metathesis products compared to 1. A profound influence of organic functional groups on catalyst activity and selectivity was found and from relative activities and selectivities 2 has proved to be more resistant to deactivation by polar functional groups and more inclined to promote double bond isomerisation than 1. The observed catalyst deactivation by oxygen-containing functional groups could be attributed to a phosphine displacement side reaction.