Dichloro[1,3-bis(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)-2-imidazolidinylidene](benzylidene)bis(3-bromopyridine)ruthenium(II)

Key Features & Properties

• Ultra-fast initiating ruthenium alkylidene catalyst — initiation rate >1,000,000× faster than 1st generation and ~4.8× faster than the pyridine (non-bromo) analog due to highly labile 3-bromopyridine ligands (dissociation energy ~12–15 kcal/mol)
• Strong σ-donating SIMes NHC ligand (1,3-bis(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)-4,5-dihydroimidazol-2-ylidene) provides excellent stability and activity
• Dissociative initiation mechanism — rapid loss of one 3-bromopyridine ligand creates a highly reactive 14-electron species for olefin coordination
• Highly air- and moisture-sensitive — store and handle under inert atmosphere (N₂ or Ar); decomposes in air/moisture
• Solubility: Good in common organic solvents (CH₂Cl₂, CHCl₃, toluene, THF); low in water
• Thermal stability: Stable as solid under inert conditions; decomposes at elevated temperatures

Prime Applications & Benefits

• Gold-standard for fast ROMP (ring-opening metathesis polymerization) — enables controlled/living polymerization of strained monomers (norbornene, oxanorbornene, etc.) at low temperatures with narrow PDI and high molecular weight control
• Exceptional in ring-closing metathesis (RCM), cross-metathesis (CM), and acyclic diene metathesis (ADMET) where rapid initiation is critical
• Superior to 2nd generation catalysts in reactions requiring fast turnover or low catalyst loading — often achieves completion in minutes vs. hours
• Widely used in polymer chemistry for advanced materials, functional polymers, and biomaterials
• Benchmark fast-initiating catalyst in academic and industrial olefin metathesis research

Storage & Handling Recommendation: Store at 2–8 °C under inert atmosphere in a glovebox or sealed ampoule. Protect from light, air, and moisture. Use Schlenk techniques or glovebox for all manipulations.

Experience the legendary Grubbs 3rd Generation catalyst — the ultra-fast initiator that revolutionized controlled ROMP and high-speed metathesis, delivering unmatched reactivity with the reliability of modern Ru-NHC systems!