Synthesis and characterization of Ru(H)2(CO)(TPPMS)3 and catalytic properties in the aqueous-biphasic hydroformylation of olefins Original Research Article

The water-soluble complex Ru(H)2(CO)(TPPMS)3 where TPPMS: (C6H5)2P(m-C6H4SO3Na) was obtained by phosphine ligand exchange from the corresponding PPh3 derivative in a water–toluene mixture and characterized by FTIR, UV-Vis, and 1H NMR and 31P{1H} spectroscopy. The complex was used as a catalyst precursor for the aqueous-biphasic catalytic hydroformylation of several alkenes and alkene mixtures under moderate reaction conditions. The activity trend observed was: 1-hexene > cyclohexene > 2,3-dimethyl-1-butene and the catalyst was shown to be resistant to possible sulphur poisons.