The influence of N-heterocyclic carbene steric and electronic properties in Ru-catalysed cross metathesis reactions

The present study examines the influence of N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ligand electronic and steric parameters on the activity of ruthenium indenylidene complexes in cross metathesis. The NHC ligands tested lead to varied E/Z selectivities with the pre-catalyst bearing an IMes ligand exhibiting high activity.