Ruthenium phosphine complex

• US 5,118,825 A
• Filed: 12/10/1990
• Issued: 06/02/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Albemarle Corporation
• Original Assignee: Ethyl Corporation (Newmarket Corporation)
• Inventors: Wu, Tse-Chong
• Primary Examiner(s): Dees, Jose G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): CONRAD III, JOSEPH M
• Application Number:
  US07/624,575
• Time in Patent Office: 540 Days
• Field of Search: 556/18, 556/23, 556/21, 556/13, 556/136, 568/8, 568/10
• US Class Current: 556/21
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 51/36 by hydrogenation of carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 67/303 by hydrogenation of unsaturated carbon-to-carbon bonds
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 69/612 Esters of carboxylic acids having a carboxyl group bound to an acyclic carbon atom and having a six-membered aromatic ring in the acid moiety
• CPC Class Codes: C07F 15/0053 without a metal-carbon linkage

Abstract

A ruthenium phosphine complex having catalytic, hydrogenation activity is disclosed. The catalyst as the formula ##STR1## wherein R and R'"'"' are the same or different and are C₁ to C₆ linear or branched alkyl; R" is hydrogen or C₁ to C₆ linear or branched alkyl; R₁ is C₁ to C₆ linear or branched alkyl; and n is an integer from 1 to 6.

The phosphine complex is particularly useful in the asymmetric hydrogenation of unsaturated carboxylic acids or alkyl esters thereof.

Claims

1. A ruthenium phosphine complex having the formula ##STR5## wherein R and R'"'"' are the same or different and are C₁ to C₆ linear or branched alkyl;

R" is hydrogen or C₁ to C₆ linear or branched alkyl;

R₁ is C₁ to C₆ linear or branched alkyl; and

n is an integer from 1 to 6.

2. The complex in accordance with claim 1 where R₁ is methyl, ethyl, n-propyl or isopropyl.

3. The complex in accordance with claim 1 wherein R and R'"'"' are the same or different and are methyl, ethyl, n-propyl or isopropyl.

4. The complex in accordance with claim 3 where R and R'"'"' are the same and are methyl.

5. The complex in accordance with claim 1 wherein R" is hydrogen, methyl, ethyl, n-propyl or isopropyl.

6. The complex in accordance with claim 5 wherein R" is hydrogen.

7. The complex in accordance with claim 1 wherein n is 2.

8. 2R,5R-2,5-bis(diphenylphosphino)hexane ruthenium diacetate.