Facile oxygenation reactions of ruthenium acetylide complex containing substituted olefinic group.

Reaction of the ruthenium acetylide complex Cp(dppe)RuC CCH(OMe)CPh2-CH2CH=CMe2 (5a) with oxygen readily gives acetone and the acyl complex 6 in almost quantitative yield. Protonation of 5a is followed by an elimination of MeOH and a hydroxyl addition at C alpha in the presence of water to give the hydroxycarbene complex 7a. The structures of the acyl complex 6 and the hydroxycarbene complex 7c are fully characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis.