The interconversion of formic acid and hydrogen/carbon dioxide using a binuclear ruthenium complex catalyst

The complex [Ru2(μ-CO)(CO)4(μ-dppm)2] in acetone solution is an efficient catalyst for the reversible reaction between formic acid and hydrogen/carbon dioxide. Complexes identified during the catalytic reactions include the hydrido and formato complexes [Ru2(μ-H)(μ-CO)(CO)4(μ-dppm)2]+, [Ru2(μ-HCO2)(CO)4(μ-dppm)2]+, [Ru2(μ-H)2(CO)4(μ-dppm)2], [Ru2H(HCO2)(CO)4(μ-dppm)2] and the coordinatively unsaturated [Ru2H(μ-H)(μ-CO)(CO)2(μ-dppm)2].