Synthesis, characterization, and biphasic ionic liquid media 1-hexene hydrogenation reaction of RuCl2(DMSO)2(NC5H4CO2Na-3)2

RuCl2(DMSO)2(NC5H4CO2Na-3)2 is very soluble in the ionic liquid (IL) 1-n-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate, [(BMIM)BF4]. The complex was prepared by reacting RuCl2(DMSO)4 with NC5H4CO2Na-3, sodium nicotinate, in toluene, and was characterized by spectroscopic methods. The complex catalyzes the hydrogenation of 1-hexene (600 psi H2, 100 °C) in a two-phase system consisting of cyclohexane/[(BMIM)BF4] with 75% conversion in 24 h and modest substrate isomerization. The complex shows good stability and can be reused several times with little loss in activity.