Synthesis and evaluation of dithiolate-modified ruthenium olefin metathesis catalysts

A premier method for the formation of carbon-carbon double bonds, olefin metathesis has found widespread use in synthetic org., biol., and materials chem. Recent advancements made using ruthenium olefin metathesis catalysts have employed dithiolate X-type ligands, giving rise to a kinetically (E)-selective olefin metathesis process through stereoretention of the starting olefin geometry. Modification of the dithiolate ligands provides a path to metathesis catalysts contg. interesting electronic and stereochem. properties. These catalysts deliver a better understanding of the structure-activity relationships obsd. in olefin metathesis catalysts.