Synthesis and characterisation of ruthenium dihydrogen complexes and their reactivity towards B–H bonds

Abstract

In this paper the synthesis and characterisation of ruthenium dihydrogen complexes bearing rigid aliphatic PNP pincer-type ligands are described. As one result hydride complexes were synthesised in good to high yields by a one-pot direct hydrogenation reaction. As another finding the dihydrogen complex, stabilised with a N–Me group in the ligand frame, can be converted with dimethylamine borane into a rare σ-boron complex [RuH2(BH3)(Me-PNP)] with rapid B–N decoupling. Additionally, we present the first mass spectrometric analysis of the synthesised σ-complexes via liquid injection field desorption/ionisation technique (LIFDI-MS). © 2013 The Royal Society of Chemistry.