RUTHENIUM-C-60 COMPOUNDS - PROPERTIES AND CATALYTIC POTENTIAL

Ruthenium-C-60 compounds were prepared by reaction of Ru-3(CO)(12) wit h C-60 in refluxing toluene. The resulting compounds were found to be insoluble air-stable solids which consist of an amorphous matrix embed ding small ruthenium metal particles of an average size of 2-5 nm. Fur thermore, the presence of unreacted C-60, small amounts of toluene and a residual CO-ligand sphere in ruthenium-C-60 was found. The catalyti c activity of ruthenium-C-60 compounds at different temperatures was s hown in prototype reactions like the liquid-phase hydrogenation of cyc lohexene at 300 K or the hydrogenation of CO in the Fischer-Tropsch sy nthesis at 500 K.