Process for continuous ruthenium-catalysed metathesis

A process for carrying out a metathesis reaction, wherein the metathesis reaction is carried out continuously and a ruthenium-containing catalyst of formula 1 is used for the reaction:

• wherein
• X and X′ denote anionic ligands;
• L denotes a neutral ligand;
• a, b, c, d independently of one another denote —CO—R3, —SO2—R4 or —PO(R5)2, H, halogen, NO2, C1-6-alkyl, C1-6-alkoxy or aryl, while aryl is optionally substituted by a group selected from among C1-6-alkyl and C1-6-alkoxy;
• R1 denotes C1-6-alkyl, C1-6-haloalkyl, C3-6-cycloalkyl, C7-18-aralkyl or a group of formula 1a, wherein the asterisk indicates the point of attachment to the molecule and
• R11 denotes C1-6-alkyl, C3-6-cycloalkyl, C7-18-aralkyl, or aryl;
• R12 denotes H, C1-6-alkyl, C3-6-cycloalkyl, C7-18-aralkyl, or aryl;
• R2 denotes H, C1-6alkyl, C2-6-alkenyl, C2-6-alknyl or aryl;
• R3 denotes C1-6-alkyl or C3-6-cycloalkyl, both optionally substituted by one or more groups selected independently of one another from among F, Cl, Br, I or C1-6-alkoxycarbonyl, or aryl or heteroaryl both optionally being substituted by one or more groups selected independently of one another from among F, Cl, Br, I, C1-6-alkyl, C1-6-alkoxy, NO2, CN, CF3, OCF3 or C1-6-alkoxycarbonyl;
• R4 denotes C1-6-fluoroalkyl, aryl or heteroaryl, wherein aryl or heteroaryl in each case may be substituted by one or more groups selected independently of one another from among F, Cl, Br, I, C1-6-alkyl, C1-6-alkenyl, C1-6-alkoxy, NO2, CN, CF3, OCF3, C1-6-alkoxycarbonyl, SO2—C1-6-alkyl or SO2-aryl;
• R5 independently of one another are C1-6-alkyl, C3-6-cycloalkyl, aryl or heteroaryl, wherein aryl or heteroaryl may each be substituted by one or more groups selected independently of one another from among F, Cl, Br, I, C1-6-alkyl, —C1-6-alkoxy, NO2, CN, CF3, OCF3, C1-6-alkoxycarbonyl;
• or
• R3, R4 and R5 independently of one another are a group of formula 1b, wherein the asterisk indicates the point of attachment to the molecule
• wherein
• X1 and X1 denote anionic ligands;
• L′ denotes a neutral ligand;
• R1′ denotes C1-6-alkyl, C1-6-haloalkyl, C3-6-cycloalkyl or —C7-18-aralkyl;
• R2′ denotes H, C1-6-alkyl, C2-6-alkenyl, C2-6-alkynyl or aryl;
• R′ denotes C1-6-alkyl, C1-6-alkoxy, aryl, halogen or NO2;
• and
• n′ denotes 0, 1, 2 or 3.