A Triruthenium Carbonyl Cluster Bearing a Bridging Acenaphthylene Ligand: An Efficient Catalyst for Reduction of Esters, Carboxylic Acids, and Amides by Trialkylsilanes
An efficient reduction of carboxylic acids, esters, and amides with trialkylsilanes is accomplished using a triruthenium carbonyl cluster bearing a bridging acenaphthylene ligand, (mu(3),eta(2):eta(3):eta(5)-acenaphthylene)Ru(3)(CO)(7), as the catalyst. Preactivation of the catalyst by hydrosilanes accelerates the reactions. Sterically small trialkylsilanes are effective in these reactions. Reduction