INFLUENCE OF THE STERIC HINDRANCE OF ANCILLARY LIGANDS IN Ru-BASED COMPLEXES APPLIED IN METATHESIS OF CINNAMYL ALCOHOL AND CINNAMYL ACETATE

Cinnamyl alcohol (AC) and cinnamyl acetate (ACM) were used as substrates in olefin metathesis reactions catalyzed by RuCl2(PCy3)2(=CHPh), first-generation Grubbs catalyst-G1, and RuCl2(PCy3)(H2IMes)(= CHPh), second-generation Grubbs catalyst-G2. The reactions occurred in the same reaction conditions for both substrates, 50 °C, for 24 h, in the proportions Ru:substrate of 1:1 and 1:10 mol. At the end of each experiment, the reaction mixture was evaluated by GC-MS and NMR of 13C{1H}. The results revealed different products when G1 and G2 are applied in the metathesis of AC, 1,5-diphenyl-2-pentene and stilbene, respectively. When ACM is the substrate, no product is noted with G1 and stilbene was the compound obtained with G2 as catalyst. In this study, we have presented a discussion about the electronic and steric influence of the ancillary ligands in the yield and type of product formed in the catalytic process.