Hydroformylation-hydrogenation and hydroformylation-acetalization reactions catalyzed by ruthenium complexes

In this work, the catalytic activity of ruthenium II and III complexes containing chloride, pyridine, phosphine and CO ligands was investigated in the hydroformylation – hydrogenation and hydroformylation – acetalization reactions. The complexes mer-[RuCl₃(dppb)(H₂O)](1), mer-[RuCl₃(dppb)(4-Vpy)](2), mer-[RuCl₃(dppb)(4-tBupy)](3), mer-[RuCl₃(dppb)(py)](4), mer-[RuCl₃(dppb)(4-Phpy)](5), mer-[RuCl₃(dppb)(4-Mepy)](6), cis-[RuCl₂(CO)₂(dppb)](7), trans-[RuCl₂(CO)₂(dppb)](8), RuCl₃·xH₂O(9), [RuCl₂(PPh₃)₃](10) and [RuCl₂(PPh₃)₂(dppb)](11) were used as supplied or synthesized as previously described in the literature {Where PPh₃ = triphenylphosphine, dppb = 1,4-bis(diphenylphosphino)butane, py = pyridine, 4-Mepy = 4-methylpyridine, 4-Vpy = 4-vinylpyridine, 4-tBupy = 4-tert-butylpyridine and 4-Phpy = 4-phenylpyridine}. These complexes were used as a pre-catalysts in a hydroformylation catalytic system to produce CC, CO and CO bonds, where 1-decene resulted in a formation of respective alcohol and dimethyl acetals. Several reactions were performed in order to find the best reaction conditions presenting the best conversion (64% after 24 h). The 1-decene was also used as a substrate in two type tandem reactions labeled as: hydroformylation – hydrogenation (HH) and hydroformylation – acetalization (HA) reactions. The relationship between Ru – catalyst/substrate was 1:100, without free ligands or additives, in a controlled temperature and pressure. All the products of catalytic reactions HH and HA were analyzed by CG-FID with good yields.