Long shelf life stable organoruthenium complexes as (pre)catalysts for olefin metathesis

A compound of the formula II, including all possible enantiomers, diastereomers, geometric or stereoisomers thereof:

• wherein:
• Z is oxygen;
• R3 is hydrogen;
• R4, R5, R6 and R7 are the same or different and each independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, methyl, ethyl and —NO2;
• is of the formula (III):
• wherein:
• a and b are integers from 0 to 5;
• each R8, R9, R10 and R11 may be the same or different and independently of the other selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, halogen, (C1-C16)alkyl, (C1-C16)alkoxy, (C1-C16)perhaloalkyl, (C3-C7)cycloalkyl, (C2-C16)alkenyl, (C6-C14)aryl, (C6-C14)perhaloaryl, (C3-C12)heterocyclyl, (C4-C20)alkylaryl, —OR18, —NO2, —COOH, —COOR18, —CONR18R19, —SO2NR18R19, —SO2R18, —CHO, —COR18, wherein R18 and R19 are the same or different and each independently selected from the group consisting of (C1-C6)alkyl, (C1-C6)perhaloalkyl, (C6-C14)aryl, (C6-C14)perhaloaryl;
• L3 is an N-heterocyclic carbene ligand of the formula (IVA) or (IVB):
• wherein:
• R12 and R17 are the same or different and each independently selected from the group consisting of (C1-C12)alkyl, (C3-C12)cycloalkyl, (C2-C12)alkenyl and (C6-C14)aryl unsubstituted or substituted by (C1-C4)alkyl, (C1-C16)perhaloalkyl, (C3-C7)cycloalkyl or (C4-C20)alkylaryl;
• R13, R14, R15 and R16 are the same or different and each independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, (C1-C12)alkyl, (C3-C12)cycloalkyl, (C2-C12)alkenyl, (C6-C14)aryl, optionally substituted with at least one of (C1-C6)alkyl, (C1-C6)perhaloalkyl, (C1-C6)alkoxy or halogen;
• or
• R13, R14, R15, R16 may optionally join together with the carbon atoms to which they are attached to form a fused (C4-C8)carbocyclic ring unsubstituted or substituted by (C1-C4)alkyl, (C1-C16)perhaloalkyl, (C3-C7)cycloalkyl or (C4-C20)alkylaryl, or a fused aromatic ring unsubstituted or substituted by (C1-C4)alkyl, (C1-C16)perhaloalkyl, (C3-C7)cycloalkyl or (C4-C20)alkylaryl.