Silica-supported Z-selective Ru olefin metathesis catalysts

Abstract Recently reported thiolate-coordinated ruthenium alkylidene complexes show promise in Z-selective and stereoretentive olefin metathesis reactions. Herein we describe the immobilization of three Ru complexes containing a bulky aryl thiolate on mesostructured silica via surface organometallic chemistry. The applied methodology gives isolated catalytic sites homogeneously distributed on the silica surface. The catalytic results with two model substrates show comparable Z-selectivities to those of the homogeneous counterparts.