A triruthenium carbonyl cluster bearing a bridging acenaphthylene ligand: an efficient catalyst for reduction of esters, carboxylic acids, and amides by trialkylsilanes.

An efficient reduction of carboxylic acids, esters, and amides with trialkylsilanes is accomplished using a triruthenium carbonyl cluster bearing a bridging acenaphthylene ligand, (mu(3),eta(2):eta(3):eta(5)-acenaphthylene)Ru(3)(CO)(7), as the catalyst. Preactivation of the catalyst by hydrosilanes accelerates the reactions. Sterically small trialkylsilanes are effective in these reactions. Reduction of carboxylic acids and amides efficiently produces the corresponding silyl ethers and amines, respectively. Reduction of esters gives a mixture of silyl and alkyl ethers, but can be controlled by changing the silanes and solvents.