From Ruthenium to Copper: A la carte Tools for the Synthesis of Molecules of Interest

Well-defined ruthenium complexes and simple copper-ligand systems proved to be powerful catalysts for the construction of complex molecules from simple and abundant organic sources. In this account, chosen examples of reactions involving C–C bond formation catalyzed by [Ru(?5-C5H5)-(CH3CN)3][PF6] will be presented. A practical synthesis of the versatile catalyst [Ru(?5-C5H5)-(CH3CN)3][PF6] is also described via a simple and easy-handled procedure discovered in Geneva ten years ago. The second part of this review is focused on methodologies catalyzed by an association of a copper salt and a simple ligand for the formation of C–N, C–O and C–C bonds developed in our group in Montpellier. A brief overview of applications in life sciences and materials will conclude this article