SYNTHESIS, CRYSTAL STRUCTURE, AND REACTIVITY OF (5,10,15,20-TETRAPHENYLPORPHYRINATO)RUTHENIUM(II) (DIETHOXYCARBONYL)CARBENE METHANOL

The new (porphyrin)ruthenium(II) carbene complex 1 has been prepared by treating (TPP)Ru(CO)[EtOH] with excess diethyl diazomalonate. The good stability of this complex allowed us to determine its structure by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The reactivity of 1 toward various axial ligands (CO, pyridine, triphenylphosphine) is also discussed, as well as its ability, from ethyl diazoacetate, to catalyze the coupling formation of olefins and the cyclopropanation of styrene.