Ruthenium Catalysed Oxidations of Organic Compounds

Ruthenium and its complexes can be used to catalyse the oxidation, both homogeneous and heterogeneous, of a wide range of organic substrates. These include olefins, alkynes, arenes, alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, ethers, sulphides, amines, and phosphines. A wide variety of oxidants can be used under mild conditions; conversions and selectivities are usually high, and the catalyst can be easily recovered. Ruthenium can also be used to catalyse the oxidative destruction of pollutants in both gas and liquid phases.