Intramolecular nucleophilic aromatic substitution reactions of (η6-arene)ruthenium complexes: preparation of substituted 2-tetralones

A stabilized enolate attached with a carbon tether to a cationic (η6-arene)RuIICp moiety was found to participate in an intramolecular SNAr reaction to deliver Ru-coordinated 1-acetyl-2-tetralone. Nucleophilic aromatic substitutions involving substituted β-dicarbonyl nucleophiles proceeded with concomitant deacetylation to afford 1-alkyl-2-tetralone derivatives. The 2-tetralone products were found to be amenable to further stereocontrolled elaboration via benzylic alkylation.