Synthesis and characterization of novel inorganic-organic hybrid Ru(II) complexes and their application in selective hydrogenation.

Novel Ru(II) complex-based hybrid inorganic-organic materials immobilized via a diamine co-ligand site instead of the conventional diphosphine ligand have been prepared. The complexes were prepared by two different methods: sol-gel and surface modification techniques. The structures of the desired materials were deduced by several available physical measurements like elemental analyses, infrared, FAB-MS and (1)H-, (13)C- and (31)P-NMR spectroscopy. Due to a lack of solubility the structures of xerogel 3 and modified 4 were studied by solid state (13)C-, (29)Si- and (31)P-NMR spectroscopy, infrared spectroscopy and EXAFS. These materials were stable enough to serve as hydrogenation catalysts. Selective hydrogenation of functionalized carbonyls in alpha,beta-unsaturated compounds was successfully carried out under mild conditions in a basic medium using these complexes as catalysts.