Ruthenium Carbene-Based Olefin Metathesis Initiators:  Catalyst Decomposition and Longevity

Abstract

Thermolytic decomposition pathways were studied for several ruthenium carbene-based olefin metathesis catalysts. Substituted carbenes were found to decompose through bimolecular pathways while the unsubstituted carbene was found to decomposed unimolecularly. Implications for ring-closing metathesis are discussed, and the longevity of several ruthenium-based catalysts are compared.