Novel ruthenium(II)2 carboxylates as catalysts for alkene metathesis.

The reactions of [Ru-(=CHR)Cl2(PCy3)2] (1: R = Ph; 1a: R = -CH=CPh2) with silver salts of carboxylic acids afforded new dimeric complexes of the general formula [Ru2(=CHR)2-(R'CO2)2(mu-R'CO2)2(PCy3)2(mu-H2O)] (2: R = Ph, R' = CF3; 3: R = Ph, R' = C2F5; 4: R = -CH=CPh2, R' = CF3; 5: R = Ph, R' = C6F5; 6: R = -CH=CPh2, R' = C6F5; 7: R = -CH=CPh2, R'=CCl3) in good yields. With R' = CF3, C2F5 or CCl3 these complexes are active catalysts for metathesis of acyclic alkenes, including unsaturated fatty acid esters, as well as for ring closing metathesis. The reactivity of these complexes with bases and weak donor solvents has been studied and their half-life times in several media were determined.