Synthesis and Catalytic Activity of Novel Benzimidazolinylidene-Ruthenium(II) Complexes

The reaction of [RuCl2(p-cymene)](2) with 1,3-dialkyl-benzimidazolium salts 1a-d in the presence of a small excess of cesium carbonate yields chelated eta(6)-arene, eta(1)-carbene ruthenium complexes 2a-d. All compounds were characterized by elemental analysis, NMR spectroscopy and the molecular structures of two of the complexes were determined by X-ray crystallography. The catalytic activity of RuCl2(eta(6)-arene, eta(1)-benzimidazolinylidene) complexes was evaluated in the direct arylation of 2-phenylpyridine with bromobenzene derivatives.