Highly active phosphine-free carbene ruthenium catalyst for cross-metathesis of acrylonitrile with functionalized olefins

The carbene ruthenium complex [1,3-bis(2,6-dimethylphenyl)-4,5-dihydroimidazol-2-ylidene](C5H5N)2(Cl)2RuCHPh (8) was prepared by the reaction of [1,3-bis (2,6-dimethylphenyl)-4,5-dihydroimidazol-2-ylidene](PPh3)(Cl)2RuCHPh (7) with pyridine and used as a highly effective catalyst for the cross-metathesis of acrylonitrile with various functionalized olefins.