Unmasking the Action of Phosphinous Acid Ligands in Nitrile Hydration Reactions Catalyzed by Arene-Ruthenium(II) Complexes

The catalytic hydration of benzonitrile and acetonitrile has been studied by employing different arene-ruthenium(II) complexes with phosphinous (PR2OH) and phosphorous acid (P(OR)(2)OH) ligands as catalysts. Marked differences in activity were found, depending on the nature of both the P-donor and eta(6)-coordinated arene ligand. Faster transformations were always observed with the phosphinous acids. DFT computations unveiled the intriguing mechanism of acetonitrile hydration catalyzed by these arene-ruthenium(II) complexes. The process starts with attack on the nitrile carbon atom of the hydroxyl group of the P-donor ligand instead of on a solvent water molecule, as previously suggested. The experimental results presented herein for acetonitrile and benzonitrile hydration catalyzed by different arene-ruthenium(II) complexes could be rationalized in terms of such a mechanism.