5602 Organometallics, Vol. 16, No. 26, 1997
Communications
Sch em e 1
at the metal center. A planar ground-state structure
has indeed been predicted on the basis of MO calcula-
tions for diamagetic d6 complexes of the types CpML2
and CpMLL′ when L and L′ are pure or predominant
σ-donor ligands.1,13 The shortest distance between the
ruthenium center and the carbon and hydrogen atoms
of the NMe2 groups is 2.97 and 3.05 Å, respectively,
excluding agostic interactions. Compound 2 is remark-
ably stable for a 16e complex and does not react with
H2, HSiEt3, or MeBr. However, treatment of 2 with Br2
(0.5 equiv) affords the monobromo Ru(III) complex
[Ru(η5-C5Me5)(Me2NCH2CH2NMe2)Br]+ (3) instead of
the expected dibromo Ru(IV).2a
Exposure of a Et2O solution of 2 to air at room
temperature yields the novel monomeric hydroxotet-
ramethylfulvene complex [Ru(η6-C5Me4CH2)(Me2NCH2-
CH2NMe2)(OH)]BAr′4 (4) in 86% yield (Scheme 1). This
reaction involves methyl C-H bond cleavage of the C5-
Me5 ligand. 1H and 13C{1H} NMR spectra of 4 showed
the characteristic resonances of the coligands.14 The
X-ray analysis of crystals of 4 revealed15 its monomeric
nature (see Figure 2). The coordination about the Ru-
(II) is approximately octahedral, three sites being taken
up by an η6-tetramethylfulvene, the remaining three by
one terminal OH group and the Me2NCH2CH2NMe2
ligand. The methylenic dCH2 is bent toward the metal
by about 0.87 Å from the C5 plane, corresponding to an
angle of about 39.2°. Dioxygen-induced methyl C-H
activations of transition metal coordinated C5Me5 and
C6Me6 ligands, which may be related to this process,
have been reported previously.16 The formation of a
hydroxo species could involve prior dioxygen coordina-
tion at ruthenium. Indeed, if the reaction of 2 with O2
is carried out at -50 °C in Et2O, a diamagnetic complex,
tentatively formulated as [Ru(η5-C5Me5)(Me2NCH2CH2-
NMe2)(O2)]+ (5), but contaminated with 4 (ca. 10%), is
isolated and characterized by 1H and 13C{1H} NMR
F igu r e 2. Structural view of [Ru(η6-C5Me4CH2)(Me2NCH2-
CH2NMe2)(OH)]BAr′4 (4). Selected bond lengths (Å) and
angles (deg): Ru-N(1), 2.213(5); Ru-N(2), 2.238(5); Ru-
O, 1.990(3); Ru-C(1), 2.074(6); Ru-C(2), 2.158(6); Ru-
C(3), 2.184(7); Ru-C(4), 2.218(7); Ru-C(5), 2.186(6); Ru-
C(6), 2.430(11); N(1)-Ru-N(2), 80.3(2).
spectroscopies.17 In the 13C{1H} NMR spectrum, reso-
nances of the ring carbon atoms of the C5Me5 ligand are
low-field-shifted from 69.3 ppm in 2 to 106.2 ppm in 5,
indicative of an oxidation state of ruthenium >+II. On
warming an anaerobic acetone-d6 solution of 5 (con-
taminated with 4) from -50 to 0 °C, 4 is formed
quantitatively as monitored by 1H NMR spectroscopy.17
This conversion is also achieved even at low tempera-
ture upon addition of PPh3 (1 equiv), giving 4 and
OdPPh3 in a ratio of 1:1. This result is evidence of 5
containing coordinated dioxygen. It is not clear at
present whether a d5 Ru(III) superoxo or a d4 Ru(IV)
peroxo complex is dealt with. The diamagnetic behavior
of 5 would be consistent with both descriptions since in
the first case magnetic coupling between the metal (S
1
1
) /2) and the superoxide ligand (S ) /2) may occur,
resulting in a ground state with S ) 0.18 Unfortunately,
IR measurements are hampered due to the intensive
-
bands of the BAr′4 anion overlapping with the O-O
stretching frequencies of coordinated dioxygen (O2
-
1200-1070 cm-1, O22- 930-740 cm-1).18 The formula-
tion of a superoxo Ru(III) compound is conjectural but
is in line with the finding that no Ru(η5-C5Me5) complex
in conjunction with N-donor ligands in the oxidation
state +IV is known. It should also be noted that 5 does
not react with Me2CdCMe2 to give an epoxide.
In summary, we have shown that the Ru(η5-C5Me5)
fragment bearing a hard σ-donor N-N coligand actually
forms a remarkably stable 16e complex, while in the
(13) Ward, T. R.; Schafer, O.; Daul, C.; Hofmann, P. Organometallics
1997, 16, 3207.
(16) For related ruthenium fulvene complexes, see: Fan, L.; Turner,
M. L.; Hursthouse, M. B.; Malik, K. M. A.; Gusev, O. V.; Maitlis, P. M.
J . Am. Chem. Soc. 1994, 116, 385. Fan, L.; Wei, C.; Aigbirhio, F. I.;
Turner, M. L.; Gusev, O. V.; Morozova, L. N.; Knowles, D. R. T.; Maitlis,
P. M. Organometallics 1996, 15, 98. Li, C.; Luo, L.; Nolan, S. P.;
Marshall, W.; Fagan, P. J . Organometallics 1996, 15, 3456. Ko¨lle, U.;
Kang, B.-S. J . Organomet. Chem. 1990, 386, 267. For ruthenium-
hydroxo systems, see: Burn, M. J .; Fickes, M. G.; Hartwig, J . F.;
Hollander, F. J .; Bergman, R. G. J . Am. Chem. Soc. 1993, 115, 5875.
(17) NMR data for 5: 1H NMR (δ, acetone-d6, -50 °C): 7.80 (m, 8H),
7.68 (s, 4H), 3.12-2.70 (m, 4H), 2.87 (s, 6H), 2.70 (s, 6H), 1.56 (s, 15H,
C5Me5). 13C{1H} NMR (δ, acetone-d6, -50 °C): 163.1 (q, J BC ) 49.6
Hz), 135.8, 130.3 (q, J CF ) 32.0 Hz), 125.6 (q, J CF ) 271.8 Hz), 119.1,
106.2 (C5Me5), 64.7, 56.5, 52.4, 9.7 (C5Me5).
(14) Preparation and data for 4: A solution of 2 (123 mg, 0.101 mmol)
in Et2O (4 mL) was stirred at room temperature in the presence of air
for 3 min. After removal of the solvent, the residue was dissolved in
Et2O (0.5 mL), insoluble materials were removed by filtration, and the
product was precipitated by adding n-hexane. Yield: 107 mg (86%).
Anal. Calcd for C48H43BF24N2ORu: C, 46.81; H, 3.52; N, 2.27. Found:
C, 46.72; H, 3.68; N, 2.14. 1H NMR (δ, acetone-d6, -50 °C): 7.80 (m,
8H), 7.69 (s, 4H), 4.47 (s, 2H, dCH2), 3.07-2.96 (m, 2H), 2.89 (s, 6H),
2.74-2.62 (m, 2H), 2.55 (s, 6H), 1.74 (s, 6H), 1.72 (s, 6H). 13C{1H} NMR
(δ, acetone-d6, -50 °C): 163.0 (q, J BC ) 50.1 Hz), 135.9, 130.4 (q, J CF
) 32.0 Hz), 125.8 (q, J CF ) 271.8 Hz), 119.1, 103.2, 95.4, 70.3, 66.7,
62.0, 56.2, 51.0, 9.1, 8.9.
(15) Crystal data of 4: triclinic space group P1h (no. 2), a ) 12.400-
(4) Å, b ) 13.176(4) Å, c ) 17.276(5) Å, R ) 96.63(1)°, â ) 96.52(1)°, γ
) 95.38(1)°, V ) 2769(2) Å3, Z ) 2, R1 ) 0.054 (I g 2σ(I)), R1 ) 0.079
(all data), wR2 ) 0.163 (all data), no. of reflections 9699, no. of refined
parameters 919.
(18) (a) Zhang, X.; Loppnow, G. R.; McDonald, R.; Takats, J . J . Am.
Chem. Soc. 1995, 117, 7828. (b) Fujisawa, K.; Tanaka, M.; Moro-oka,
Y.; Kitajima, N. J . Am. Chem. Soc. 1994, 116, 12079. (c) Egan, J . W.;
Haggerty, B. S.; Rheingold, A. L.; Sendlinger, S. C.; Theopold, K. H.
J . Am. Chem. Soc. 1990, 112, 2445.