Fluoro-imidazopyridinylidene Ruthenium Catalysts for Cross Metathesis with Ethylene

Abstract

A series of ruthenium metathesis catalysts bearing fluorinated imidazo[1,5-a]pyridin-3-ylidene carbenes (F-ImPy) were developed for ethenolysis (cross metathesis with ethylene) of methyl oleate. X-ray crystal structure analysis shows Ru-F interaction, and this fluorine substitution appears to be pivotal to have stable ImPy-Ru precatalysts. Ligand structure was varied for high catalyst activity and cross metathesis selectivity in ethenolysis reaction. F-ImPy-Ru catalysts showed high selectivity in ethenolysis of methyl oleate and thermal robustness under an ethylene atmosphere. © 2019 American Chemical Society.