Cyanide Adducts on the Diruthenium Core of [Ru2(L)4]+ (L = ap, CH3ap, Fap, or F3ap). Electronic Properties and Binding Modes of the Bridging Ligand

A Monometallic Bis(cyaphido) Complex

The first example of a bis(cyaphido) complex, trans-[Ru(dppe)2(C≡P)2], is described, unequivocally demonstrating the synthetic accessibility and stability of complexes that feature more than one cyaphido ligand. Synthesis is achieved from the precedent cation [Ru(dppe)2(C≡P)]+ via sequential coordination and desilylation of the phosphaalkyne Me3SiC≡P. The heteroleptic analogue trans-[Ru(dppe)2(C≡N)(C≡P)] is also prepared from the same cation and NaCN; both cyaphido complexes are structurally characterized, enabling the first direct comparison of cyaphide with cyanide, its isoelectronic and isolobal counterpart. This demonstrates an enhanced π-acidity for -C≡P over -C≡N, while computational studies reveal also a higher π-donor character for the cyaphido ligand.

Bisaryl and Bisalkynyl Diruthenium (III,III) Compounds Based on an Electron-Deficient Building Block

Reported herein is a new series of diruthenium(III,III) bisalkynyl and bisaryl diruthenium(III,III) compounds supported with 2-amino-3-(trifluoromethyl)pyridinate (amtfmp). Using Ru₂(amtfmp)₄Cl₂ from a modified preparation, cis 2:2 Ru₂(amtfmp)₄(C≡CPh)₂ (1), cis 2:2 Ru₂(amtfmp)₄(Ph)₂ (2), and 3:1 Ru₂(amtfmp)₄(Ph)₂ (3) were synthesized via a lithium-halogen exchange reaction using LiC₂Ph and LiPh, respectively. Compounds 1-3 are all Ru₂(III,III) species with a ground-state configuration of π⁴δ²(π*)⁴ (S = 0) and were characterized via mass spectrometry, electron absorption and ¹H/¹⁹F NMR spectroscopies, and voltammetry. The molecular structures of 1-3 were established using single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis, and preliminary density functional theory analysis was performed to elaborate the electronic structures of 1 and 2. Comparisons of the electrochemical properties of 1-3 against the Ru₂(amtfmp)₄Cl₂ starting material reveal cathodic shifts of the Ru₂^7+/6+ oxidation and the Ru₂^6+/5+ and Ru₂^5+/4+ reduction potentials. In comparison to related Ru₂(III,III) bisalkynyl and bisaryl compounds, the electrode potentials for 1-3 are anodically shifted up to ca. 0.95 V, highlighting the strong electron-withdrawing nature of the amtfmp ligand.

Drastic Tuning of the Electronic Structures of Diruthenium Aryl Complexes by Isoelectronic Axial Ligands

Reported herein is the use of aryls as axial ligands to manipulate reactivity at the distal metal site through metal-metal-ligand interactions in diruthenium paddlewheel complexes. The vacant ruthenium site in Ru₂(ap)₄(Ar) (1; ap = 2-anilinopyridinate and Ar = C₆H₄-4-NMe₂), thus rendered reactive, is able to bind a series of isoelectronic ligands to afford three complexes of the form (Y)[Ru₂(ap)₄](Ar) [Y = CN^- (2), HC≡C^- (3), CO (4)], each of which exhibits a distinct electronic structure. While reactions with anionic ligands subsequently result in oxidation of the diruthenium core from Ru₂(II,III) to Ru₂(III,III), the reaction with CO yields a rare example of a Ru₂(II,III)-CO_axial adduct. The latter reaction is particularly interesting in its completely reversible change of the ground state from S = ³/₂ in 1 to S = ¹/₂ in 4, the first of its kind seen in Ru₂(II,III) species. In general, this work sheds light on the modulation of the electronic structure of diruthenium paddlewheel complexes using distinct coordination environments around each of the ruthenium centers.

Effect of axial ligands on the spectroscopic and electrochemical properties of diruthenium compounds

Three related diruthenium complexes containing four symmetrical anionic bridging ligands were synthesized and characterized as to their electrochemical and spectroscopic properties. The examined compounds are represented as Ru2(dpb)4Cl, Ru2(dpb)4(CO), and Ru2(dpb)4(NO) in the solid state, where dpb = diphenylbenzamidinate anion. Different forms of Ru2(dpb)4Cl are observed in solution depending on the utilized solvent and the counteranion added to solution. Each Ru2(5+) form of the compound undergoes multiple redox processes involving the dimetal unit. The reversibility as well as potentials of these diruthenium-centered electrode reactions depends upon the solvent and the bound axial ligand. The Ru2(5+/4+) and Ru2(5+/6+) processes of Ru2(dpb)4Cl were monitored by UV-vis spectroscopy in both CH2Cl2 and PhCN. A conversion of Ru2(dpb)4Cl to [Ru2(dpb)4(CO)](+) was also carried out by simply bubbling CO gas through a CH2Cl2 solution of Ru2(dpb)4Cl at room temperature. The chemically generated [Ru2(dpb)4(CO)](+) complex undergoes several electron transfer processes in CH2Cl2 containing 0.1 M TBAClO4 under a CO atmosphere, and the same reactions were seen for a chemically synthesized sample of Ru2(dpf)4(CO) in CH2Cl2, 0.1 M TBAClO4 under a N2 atmosphere, where dpf = N,N'-diphenylformamidinate anion. Ru2(dpb)4(NO) undergoes two successive one-electron reductions and a single one-electron oxidation, all of which involve the diruthenium unit. The CO and NO adducts of Ru2(dpb)4 were further characterized by FTIR spectroelectrochemistry, and the IR spectral data of these compounds are discussed in light of results for previously characterized Ru2(dpf)4(CO) and Ru2(dpf)4(NO) derivatives under similar solution conditions.

Structural and Spectroscopic Characterization of a Diruthenium o-Dioxolene Complex Possessing a Singly Occupied Molecular Orbital Delocalized over the Entire Molecule, [Ru2(3,6-DTBDiox)4]-

Chemical oxidation of [Ru2(6+)(3,6-DTBCat)4]2- affords [n-Bu4N][Ru2(3,6-DTBDiox)4].acetone (2.acetone). The oxidized species was characterized by X-ray crystallographic analysis and EPR, and the delocalization of the unpaired electron over the entire molecule was indicated. This example showed that the utilization of redox-active ligands into a Ru2 complex expanded the degree of freedom in the electronic structure. DFT calculations support this view, and the spin population was estimated to be approximately 18% and 82% for the Ru2 core and the four dioxolene ligands, respectively.

Diosmium(III) Compounds Supported by 2-Anilinopyridinate and Novel Alkynyl Derivatives

The reaction between Os(2)(OAc)(4)Cl(2) and Hap (Hap is 2-anilinopyridine) under prolonged refluxing conditions resulted in an Os(III)(2) compound, Os(2)(ap)(4)Cl(2) (1), that can be crystallized as either the cis-(2,2) isomer from a CH(3)OH-CH(2)Cl(2) solution or the (3,1) isomer from a hexanes-CH(2)Cl(2) solution. Compound 1 undergoes facile reactions with LiC(2)Y to yield a series of Os(2)(ap)(4)(C(2)Y)(2) compounds with Y as Ph (2), ferrocenyl (3), SiMe(3) (4), and C(2)SiMe(3) (5). X-ray diffraction study of compound 2 reveals solvent-dependent isomerism similar to that of the parent compound 1. Compound 1 has Os-Os distances of 2.3937(8) and 2.3913(8) Angstroms for the cis-(2,2) and (3,1) isomers, respectively, and is paramagnetic (S = 1). Both the ethynyl derivatives 2-4 and butadiynyl derivative 5 are diamagnetic and have Os-Os distances of 2.456(1), 2.471(1), and 2.481(1) Angstroms for the cis-(2,2) and (3,1) isomers of 2 and (3,1) isomer of 4, respectively. Compounds 1-5 exhibit multiple one-electron redox couples in their cyclic voltammograms, including a reversible Os(2)(8+/7+) couple for 2. Resonance Raman spectra of both compounds 1 and 2 are reported.

Synthesis and Characterization of Nitrosyl Diruthenium Complexes. Interaction between NO and CO across the Metal−Metal Bond

Two neutral diruthenium complexes and one anionic diruthenium complex, Ru2(dpf)4(NO), Ru2(dpf)4(NO)2, and [Ru2(dpf)4(NO)]-, where dpf is diphenylformamidinate anion, were synthesized and characterized as to their electrochemical and spectroscopic properties. Two of the compounds, Ru2(dpf)4(NO) and Ru2(dpf)4(NO)2, were also structurally characterized. Ru2(dpf)4(NO) undergoes reversible one-electron reductions under N2 at E1/2=0.06 and -1.24 V in CH2Cl2, 0.1 M TBABr. These processes are shifted to E1/2=0.18 and -0.78 V under CO due to the trans-coordination of a CO molecule which stabilizes the singly and doubly reduced forms of the metal-metal bonded complexes, thus leading to easier reductions. CO does not coordinate to Ru2(dpf)4(NO), but it does bind to the singly reduced species to generate [Ru2(dpf)4(NO)(CO)]- under a CO atmosphere in solution; characteristic NO and CO bands are seen for this compound at nuNO=1674 cm(-1) and nuCO=1954 cm(-1). Ru2(dpf)4(NO)2 displays a reversible one-electron reduction at E1/2=-1.24 V versus SCE and an irreversible reduction at Epc=-1.96 V in CH2Cl2, 0.1 M TBAP under N2. There are also two reversible one-electron oxidations at E1/2=0.24 and 1.15 V. Spectroelectrochemical monitoring of the Ru2(dpf)4(NO)2 oxidation processes in a thin-layer cell shows only a single NO vibration for each electrogenerated product and nuNO is located at 1726 (neutral), 1788 (singly oxidized), or 1834 (doubly oxidized) cm(-1). Finally, a labile CO complex, [Ru2(dpf)4(NO)(CO)]-, could be generated by passing CO into a solution of [Ru2(dpf)4(NO)]-. Formation of the mixed CO/NO adduct was confirmed by electrochemistry and infrared spectroscopy. Analysis of the NO and CO stretching vibration frequencies for [Ru2(dpf)4(NO)(CO)]- by in-situ FTIR spectroelectrochemistry and comparisons with data for Ru2(dpf)4(NO) and Ru2(dpf)4(CO) reveal the presence of a strong interaction between NO and CO across the Ru-Ru bond.

Synthesis, Structural, Spectroscopic, and Electrochemical Characterization of High Oxidation State Diruthenium Complexes Containing Four Identical Unsymmetrical Bridging Ligands

Six Ru2(6+) derivatives of the form Ru2(L)4(C[triple bond]CC6H5)(2), where L = 2-Fap, 2,3-F(2)ap, 2,4-F(2)ap, 2,5-F(2)ap, 3,4-F(2)ap, or 2,4,6-F(3)ap, are synthesized and characterized as to their electrochemical, spectroscopic, and/or structural properties. These compounds are synthesized from a reaction between LiC[triple bond]CC6H5 and Ru2(L)4Cl. Two of the investigated complexes exist in a (4,0) isomeric form while four adopt a (3,1) geometric conformation. These two series of geometric isomers are compared with previously characterized (4,0) Ru2(ap)4(C[triple bond]CC6H5)(2), (4,0) Ru2(F5ap)4(C[triple bond]CC6H5)(2), and (3,1) Ru2(F5ap)4(C[triple bond]CC6H5)(2). The overall data on the nine compounds thus provide an opportunity to systematically examine how the electrochemical and structural properties of these Ru2(6+) complexes vary with respect to isomer type and electronic properties of the bridging ligands.

Synthesis and Characterization of Ru2(DMBA)4X2 (X = CN, N3, N(CN)2, I): Controlling Structural, Redox, and Magnetic Properties with Axial Ligands

Metathesis reactions between Ru(2)(DMBA)(4)Cl(2) (DMBA = N,N'-dimethylbenzamidinate) and MX (M = Na and K) yielded bis-adduct derivatives Ru(2)(DMBA)(4)X(2) (X = CN (1), N(3) (2), N(CN)(2) (3)). Metathesis reactions between Ru(2)(DMBA)(4)(NO(3))(2) and KI resulted in Ru(2)(DMBA)(4)I(2) (4). Compound 1 is diamagnetic, while compounds 2-4 are paramagnetic (S = 1). Both compounds 1 and 2 undergo two reversible one-electron processes, an oxidation and a reduction, while compound 3 features a quasireversible reduction. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies revealed that the Ru-Ru bond lengths are 2.4508(9), 2.3166(7), 2.304[1], and 2.328(1) A for compounds 1-4, respectively. Structural and electrochemical data clearly indicate that the axial ligands impart a significant influence on the electronic structures of diruthenium species.