Insights into the Decomposition of Olefin Metathesis Precatalysts

Abstract The decomposition of a series of benzylidene, methylidene, and 3‐phenylindenylidene complexes has been probed in alcohol solution in the presence of base. Tricyclohexylphosphane‐containing precatalysts are shown to yield [RuCl(H)(H 2 )(PCy 3 ) 2 ] in isopropyl alcohol solutions, while 3‐phenylindenylidene complexes lead to η 5 ‐(3‐phenyl)indenyl products. The potential‐energy surfaces for the formation of the latter species have been probed using density functional theory studies.