Decarbonylation of acetone and carbonate at a pincer-ligated Ru center

Abstract

Summary: A Ru center ligated by a pincer bis(o-phos-phinoaryl)amine (PNP) ligand in (PNP)RuH(H 2) is sufficiently electron rich to break C-O and C-C bonds, resulting in the ultimate decarbonylation of hydrocar-bonate and acetone, respectively, to give (PNP)RuH(CO). The decarbonylation of acetone is accompanied by hydrogenolysis of the C-C bonds to produce methane.