Ruthenium catalysts for the synthesis of quinolines and enol esters
The main objective of this work was to investigate the scope and limitations of ruthenium Schiff base catalysts for two types of reactions. In a modification of the Friedlander reaction, 2-aminobenzylalcohol is oxidatively cyclized with ketones or aldehydes, affording quinolines. The key step in this method is a hydrogen transfer reaction, which can be performed by either a ruthenium catalyst or merely a strong base. In the second part, ruthenium catalysts are used for the activation of the alkyne triple bond, making it more susceptible to a nucleophilic attack of carboxylic acids. The obtained products are enol esters. The stereochemistry of these compounds is hard to control and strongly depends on the used catalyst and the nature of the alkyne and/or carboxylic acid.
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