Mechanism of ruthenium-catalyzed hydrogen transfer reactions. Concerted transfer of OH and CH hydrogens from an alcohol to a (Cyclopentadienone)ruthenium complex.

Kinetic studies of the ruthenium-catalyzed dehydrogenation of 1-(4-fluorophenyl)ethanol (4) by tetrafluorobenzoquinone (7) using the Shvo catalyst 1 at 70 degrees C show that the dehydrogenation by catalytic intermediate 2 is rate-determining with the rate = k[4][1](1/2) and with deltaH++ = 17.7 kcal mol(-1) and deltaS++ = -13.0 eu. The use of specifically deuterated derivative 4-CHOD and 4-CDOH gave individual isotope effects of k(CHOH)/k(CHOD) = 1.87 +/- 0.17 and k(CHOH)/k(CDOH) = 2.57 +/- 0.26, respectively. Dideuterated derivative 4-CDOD gave a combined isotope effect of k(CHOH)/k(CDOD) = 4.61 +/- 0.37. These isotope effects are consistent with a concerted transfer of both hydrogens of the alcohol to ruthenium species 2.