Asymmetric cross-dimerization between methyl methacrylate and substituted alkene by Ru(0)-bicyclononadiene complex.

New Ru(0)-naphthalene complexes containing a bicyclononadiene ligand catalyze the linear cross-dimerization between methyl methacrylate and substituted alkenes by an oxidative coupling mechanism. The chiral (S,S)-2-methylbicyclo[3.3.1]nona-2,6-diene complex (S,S)-1b catalyzes asymmetric linear cross-dimerization between methyl methacrylate and 2,5-dihydrofuran to give the cross-dimer in 74% yield in 80% ee.