Unexpected and then rational synthesis of a new class of anionic phosphino–oxazoline ligands; structure and catalytic properties of a ruthenium complex

A new class of anionic, hybrid chelating ligands is reported which contain a phosphine moiety covalently linked to an oxazoline of which the nitrogen atom formally carries a partly delocalized negative charge; the first metal complex, a ruthenium derivative, has been characterized by X-ray diffraction and shown to be active in catalytic transfer hydrogenation.