CarBoRu - Anionic Carbenes and Borylanions: Tuning the properties of ruthenium complexes in olefin metathesis

• Applicants: Dr. René Frank; Professor Dr. Matthias Tamm
• Subject Area: Inorganic Molecular Chemistry - Synthesis and Characterisation ; Organic Molecular Chemistry - Synthesis and Characterisation
• Term: from 2017 to 2023
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 380280088

N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) exerted a strong impact on the area of organometallic catalysis. Due to their strong sigma-donor character they are capable of weakening the M-L bond to other sigma-bound co-ligands in trans-position (trans-influence) and better stabilize low-coordinate active species, which are formed in most catalytic cycles. These effects are even expected to be enhanced when the NHC architectures are endowed with negative charges, which either affords anionic carbenes or boryl anions (based on the isoelectronic relationship of a carbon atom C to B-). Employing this very recent concept, the authors of this proposal have demonstrated examples of Au-, Ir- and Pd-catalyzed systems of high activity. In view of the importance and the wide scope of Ru-catalyzed olefin metathesis for C=C bond formations, the strategy of catalyst tuning by the introduction of -1 charges will be expanded to Ru-catalyzed cmetathesis based on this proposal.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• International Connection: Poland
• Cooperation Partners: Dr. Karol Grela; Professor Dr. Bartosz Trzaskowski