DEHYDROGENATIVE OLIGOMERIZATION REACTIVITY OF TRANSITION-METAL SULFIDES DERIVED FROM THEIR TRIS OR BIS(ORTHO-AMINOBENZENETHIOLATO)METAL COMPLEXES

Several tris or bis(omicron-aminobenzenethiolato)metal complexes, where metals include ruthenium, rhodium, rhenium, molybdenum, platinum, and palladium, were synthesized. They were used as precursors to active metal sulfide catalysts for dehydrogenative oligomerization of 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinoline (THQ). The conversion of metal complex precursors to the corresponding metal sulfides was carried out in situ in the THQ solution at 210-270-degrees-C. These metal sulfides polymerized THQ to quinoline oligomers in 71-95% yield. We also observed a periodic trend on the activity of these catalysts showing a maximum oligomer yield with ruthenium sulfide.