The synthesis of novel neutral mononuclear ruthenium fragments for cluster capping reactions and their reactivity

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/S0022-328X(97)00384-7

The mononuclear complex [Ru(CO)₄(C₂H₄)] (1) reacts with bidentate phosphines to yield the corresponding [Ru(CO)₄(η¹-bidentate phosphine)] (3) complex in quantitative yield thereby offering a new route to this class of compound. Broadband UV photolysis of dichloromethane solutions of the 1,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)propane (dppp) complex [Ru(CO)₄(η¹-dppp)] (3d) under an atmosphere of ethene yields the di-substituted complex [Ru(CO)₃(η¹-dppp)(η²-C₂H₄)] (9d) in quantitative yield. Both 3d and 9d show potential in selective cluster capping reactions as illustrated by their reactivity with [Ru₅C(CO)₁₅] (4) and [Ru₃(CO)₁₂] (2).