Ruthenium Trichloride,Tricyclohexyl- phosphane, 1-Alkynes,Magnesium, Hydrogen,and Water—Ingredients of an Efficient One-Pot Synthesis of Ruthenium Catalysts for Olefin Metathesis

An active role is played by MgCl₂ during the conversion of the vinylidene precursor 2 into carbenes 3 (R=H, Ph; L=P(C₆H₁₁)₃). These complexes can be prepared in a convenient and very efficient one-pot synthesis and have a catalytic activity in metathesis comparable to that of Grubbs compound (Ph instead of CH₂R).