Selective Linear Coupling Reaction of Acetylene and Acrylonitrile Catalyzed by the Well-Defined Metallacyclopentadiene Complex C₅Me₅(PPh₃)(Cl)RuCHCHCHCH

Abstract

The metallacyclopentadiene was found to catalyze the linear coupling reaction of acetylene and acrylonitrile to give predominantly 2(E),4(Z),6-heptatrienenitrile (3; TON = 15, 85% selectivity). The coupling reaction is proposed to occur via an initial PPh3 dissociation from 1 and the subsequent insertion of acrylonitrile.