Olefin Metathesis in Compressed Carbon Dioxide

Abstract

The product distribution can be controlled by varying the density of the reaction medium when olefin metatheses of acyclic dienes are carried out in supercritical CO2 (scCO2), as shown below. Substrates with NH groups, which are generally not tolerated in conventional solvents, are compatible with Ru-based metathesis catalysts in scCO2. Avoidance of potentially hazardous organic solvents, simple isolation of the products, and the recovery of the catalysts in active form are additional practical advantages associated with using compressed CO2 as reaction medium for ring-closing metathesis (RCM) and ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP).