Selective carbene transfer to amines and olefins catalyzed by ruthenium phthalocyanine complexes with donor substituents

A ruthenium phthalocyanine catalyzes the cyclopropanation of olefins (15 substr.) and single carbene insertion into N–H bonds of aromatic, heteroaromatic and aliphatic amines (20 substr.) with high selectivity and under practical reaction conditions.