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Solution pH: A Selectivity Switch in Aqueous Organometallic Catalysis—Hydrogenation of Unsaturated Aldehydes Catalyzed by Sulfonatophenylphosphane-Ru Complexes

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1998

Year

Abstract

The equilibribrium distribution of water-soluble ruthenium hydrides [HRuCl(tppms)<sub>3</sub> ] and [H<sub>2</sub> Ru(tppms)<sub>4</sub> ] (tppms = (3-sulfonatophenyl)diphenylphosphane) in the reaction with H<sub>2</sub> is governed by the pH value. As a consequence, the selectivity in the hydrogenation of cinnamaldehyde for reaction at C=C or C=O can be completely inverted by changing the pH value (see drawing below).