N‐Heterocyclic Olefin‐Phosphines Based Cationic Ruthenium Complexes as Pre‐Catalysts for Dual C−H Bond Functionalizations

Two N‐heterocyclic olefin‐phosphines (NHOP), and the corresponding ruthenium complexes were synthesized and structurally characterized. One of the cationic complexes [(BzIM)(NHOP)Ru(p‐cymene)Cl2]I was employed as a catalyst in N‐benzylbenzamides/alkyne coupling reactions. With this catalytic protocol a variety of substituted isoquinolones were synthesized through ortho‐selective double C−H bond functionalization involving oxidative annulation followed by olefination reactions. All these products were achieved in one‐pot manner without the use of additives.