The Hydroxide-Promoted Catalytic Hydrodefluorination of Fluorocarbons by Ruthenium in Aqueous Media

A ruthenium complex ligated by the non-innocent protic ligand 2,6-imidizoylpyridine (IPI) in aqueous potassium hydroxide media is shown to be a suitable catalyst for the CF bond activation and subsequent hydrodefluorination (and hydrogenolysis) of a model fluorocarbon. Furthermore, the conversion of CF bonds was enhanced upon increasing the concentration of potassium hydroxide [KOH]. A simple, non-ligated heterogeneous analogue derived from ruthenium(III) trichloride trihydrate dissolved in aqueous potassium hydroxide is shown to be an even more active catalyst, capable of hydrodefluorination of aryl fluorocarbons at room temperature and alkyl fluorocarbons under more forcing conditions.