2,2,2-tris(pyrazolyl)ethoxide (EpOX) ruthenium(II) complexes, (EpOX)RuCl(L)(L′): Synthesis, structure, and reactivity

Abstract

Treatment of RuCl2(PPh3)3 with sodium 2,2,2-tris(pyrazolyl)ethoxide [NaOCH2C(pz)3; pz = pyrazolyl] affords the asymmetric heteroscorpionate complex cis-(Ep OX)RuCl(PPh3)2 (1), (EpOX = κ3-N,N,O-OCH2C(pz)3), which can be converted to Ru(II) compounds (2-6), (EpOX)RuCl(L)(L′) [(2) L = PPh3, L′ = P(OCH2)3CEt; (3) L = L′ = P(OCH2)3CEt; (5) L, L′ = PPh3, CO; (6) L = L′ = CO]. Compounds 1 and 3 react with CHCl3 at 60 and 100 C, respectively, to yield cationic tris(pyrazolyl)methane Ru(II) complexes, [(κ3-N,N,N-Mp)RuCl(L)2]Cl [Mp = HC(pz)3; (7) L = PPh3; (8) L = P(OCH2)3CEt]. The complexes have been characterized by 1H, 13C, and 31P{1H} NMR spectroscopy, elemental analysis, high resolution mass spectrometry, and cyclic voltammetry. Complexes 1 and 3 have also been characterized by single crystal X-ray analysis. © 2012 American Chemical Society.