Hydroxyapatite-bound cationic ruthenium complexes as novel heterogeneous lewis acid catalysts for Diels-Alder and aldol reactions.

Creation of a stable and well-defined active center on a solid surface is a promising protocol for designing more efficient hybrid-catalysts that bridge the gap between homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis. Treatment of a hydroxyapatite-bound Ru complex (RuHAP) with an aqueous solution of AgX (X = SbF6-, TfO-) afforded a new type of cationic Ru phosphate complex, having potentially vacant coordination sites. These cationic RuHAPs exhibited Lewis acidity toward carbonyl and cyano groups, promoting Diels-Alder and Aldol reactions with high efficiencies. Moreover, no Ru leaching was detected in the above organic reactions, and then the catalysts were recyclable.