Stoichiometric and Catalytic Cross Dimerization between Butadiene and Methyl Acrylate Promoted by a Ruthenium(0) Complex

Treatment of Ru(η4-butadiene)(η4-1,5-COD)(NCMe) (1a) with methyl acrylate in benzene for 3 h at 6 °C produces Ru{cisoid-η4-(2E,4E)-(methyl hepta-2,4-dienoate)}(η4-1,5-COD)(NCMe) (2a) in 97% yield. Complex 1a (2 mol %) catalyzes the chemoselective cross dimerization between butadiene and methyl acrylate in benzene to give a mixture of the regioisomers of methyl heptadienoate in 43% yield by the oxidative coupling reaction.