Ruthenium-catalyzed formation of aryl(diphenyl)phosphine oxides by reactions of propargylic alcohols with diphenylphosphine oxide.

1,1-Diaryl-1-penten-4-yn-3-ols react with diphenylphosphine oxide in the presence of a thiolate-bridged diruthenium complex as a catalyst and give high yields of aryl(diphenyl)phosphine oxide products via an initial substitution followed by a cyclization at the produced allene intermediate. [reaction: see text]

Ruthenium-catalyzed propargylic substitution reactions of propargylic alcohols with oxygen-, nitrogen-, and phosphorus-centered nucleophiles.

The scope and limitations of the ruthenium-catalyzed propargylic substitution reaction of propargylic alcohols with heteroatom-centered nucleophiles are presented. Oxygen-, nitrogen-, and phosphorus-centered nucleophiles such as alcohols, amines, amides, and phosphine oxide are available for this catalytic reaction. Only the thiolate-bridged diruthenium complexes can work as catalysts for this reaction.

Ruthenium- and gold-catalysed sequential reactions: a straightforward synthesis of substituted oxazoles from propargylic alcohols and amides.

A convenient and straightforward one-pot reaction of propargylic alcohols bearing a terminal alkyne moiety with amides by the sequential action of ruthenium and gold catalysts gives the corresponding substituted oxazoles in good yields with a complete regioselectivity.

Double phosphinylation of propargylic alcohols: a novel synthetic route to 1,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)ethane derivatives.

[reaction: see text] Double phosphinylation of propargylic alcohols with diphenylphosphine oxide in the presence of a thiolate-bridged diruthenium complex as catalyst gives the corresponding 2,3-bis(diphenylphosphinyl)-1-propenes in high yields with a complete selectivity.