A new facile Ru-catalyzed route to bio-olefins<sup>3</sup> from unsaturated fatty acids via readily accessible metal-as-ligand type catalyst precursors, [Ru(CO)2RCO2]n and Ru3(CO)12, will be described. The catalyst apparently functions in a tandem mode by dynamically isomerizing the positions of double bonds in an aliphatic chain and, subsequently, decarboxylating specific isomers with lower activation barriers. A mechanistic pathway with supporting evidence for this novel catalytic chemistry will be presented. This approach offers new technology for converting bio-based fatty acids into useful industrial chemical intermediates.<br/><br/>3. R. E. Murray, E.L. Walter, and K. M. Doll; ACS Catal. 2014, 4, 3517−3520

Tandem isomerization-decarboxylation of unsaturated fatty acids to olefins via Ruthenium metal-as-ligand catalysts

249th National Meeting (2015)

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