Mechanistic Study of the Ru(H)2(CO)(PPh3)3-Catalyzed Addition of C–H Bonds in Aromatic Esters to Olefins

The reaction mechanism of the Ru(H)2(CO)(PPh3)3-catalyzed addition of C–H bonds in aromatic esters to olefins was studied by means of deuterium-labeling experiments and measurement of the 13C kinetic isotope effect. The deuterium-labeling experiment revealed a rapid equilibrium among the intermediates prior to the reductive elimination, and the 13C NMR kinetic isotope effect indicated that C–C bond formation is the rate-determining step in this reaction.