Hydroxyl group effect in novel NNN type pyridine based ruthenium (II) complex for the transfer hydrogenation of ketones

The new NNN type pyridine ligands were prepared by using low cost and readily available starting materials and metalated with RuCl2(PPh3)3 to obtain ruthenium(II) complexes. All structures were illuminated by NMR, HRMS, and FT-IR spectroscopy. The complexes exhibited good catalytic activity in transfer hydrogen reaction of ketones and it was found that a hydroxyl group on β-position of the pyridine ring had a dramatic effect on the catalyst efficiency.