Ruthenium(0) Catalyzed Isomerization of Allylbenzene. The Detection and Isolation of A Hydrido-η3-Allyl Intermediate

Allylbenzene is isomerized to $\text{cis}$- and $\text{trans}$-β-methylstyrene at 35–60°C in the presence of (C₆H₅)₃P]₄Ru(π-CH₃CN)·CH₃CN. Two hydrido-η³-1-phenylallyl ruthenium complexes have been detected by proton nmr spectroscopy during the reaction and the predominant one of formula (C₆H₅)₃P]₂RuH(η³-C₃H₄C₆H₅)(CH₃CN) has been isolated. The structure of this intermediate contains cis phosphines, mutually trans hydrido and acetonitrile ligands and the 1-phenylallyl ligand in a $\text{syn}$-configuration. A similar structure with an $\text{anti}$-configuration of the 1-phenylallyl ligand is suggested for the other detected intermediate. These complexes indicate that this isomerization is initiated by oxidative-addition of ruthenium(0) to an allylic C-H bond with the formation of distinct η³-allyl metal hydride species as has been proposed in a number of metal catalyzed olefin transformations.