Discovery, Applications, and Catalytic Mechanisms of Shvo's Catalyst

A scientific review described the discovery, structure, synthetic application, and reactivity mechanisms of Shvo's catalyst and related cyclopentadienone-ligated metal complexes. Shvo's catalyst was an air- and water-stable crystalline solid that was commercially available from several sources. Youval Shvo and a team of researchers introduced this ruthenium catalyst, which utilized noninnocent cyclopentadienone ligands to stabilize the metal in low oxidation states. The dissociated monomeric forms of the catalyst were composed of a ruthenium hydride and a coordinatively unsaturated dicarbonyl species. The first discrete synthesis of the catalyst was a two-step procedure in which monomeric tricarbonyl complex was prepared, isolated, and converted to dimer. The catalyst catalyzed the transfer dehydrogenation of alcohols in the presence of hydrogen acceptors, such as diphenylacetylene, alkenes, and ketones.