Ligand Modification of Cyclometalated Ruthenium Complexes in the Aerobic Oxidative Dehydrogenation of Imidazolines
摘要:
New cyclometalated ruthenium(III) complexes bearing 2-phenylpyridine derivatives were synthesized and characterized. Chemical, modification of the cyclometalating ligand affected its sigma-donor character and resulted in regulation of the redox potential of the ruthenium metal center; which was elucidated by-X-ray crystallography and cyclic voltammetry., The increase in the electron-donating ability of the cyclometalating ligand improved the catalytic activity of the ruthenium complexes in the aerobic oxidative dehydrogenation of 2-pherxylimidazoline, and enabled the catalytic dehydrogenation of 2-phenylimidazoline in air at room temperature. The effect of the ligand structure on the catalytic activity was also elucidated by density functional theory (DFT) calculations and titration experiments.