The versatility of molecular ruthenium catalyst RuCl(COD)(C5Me5)

This review reports the contribution of the catalyst precursor RuCl(COD)C5Me5, and of the Rennes team. for the selective transformation of alkynes to generate high value chemicals with atom economy reactions. Ruthenium activation processes are discussed. Are successively presented (i) the cross-oxidative coupling of alkyne and allyl alcohol to generate gamma,delta-unsaturated aldehydes, (ii) the head-to-head dimerisation of alkynes in the presence of carboxylic acids. via a mixed Fischer-Schrock type biscarbene-ruthenium complex, to give functional dienes, and that of propargyl alcohols. via cyclobutadienyl-ruthenium intermediate, to produce cyclobutene derivatives, (iii) the addition of diazoalkanes to alkynes leading to functional dienes via double carbene addition and (iv) the reaction of diazoalkanes to enynes leading to new bicyclo[3.1.0]hexane compounds. Most of the above catalytic reactions involve carbene-ruthenium catalytic species of type Cp*(Cl)Ru(biscarbene) or Cp*(Cl)Ru=CHR. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.