Oxidative Coupling of Ruthenium Alkenyl Acetylide Complexes as a Route to Dinuclear Complexes Featuring Carbon-Rich Bridging Ligands

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Abstract

Reaction of [RuCl(dppe)Cp*] with the propargylic alcohols HCCC(OH)(R)Me [R = Ph (A), 4-pyridyl (B), and 4-NO2-C6H4(C)] in the presence of NH4PF6in MeOH, followed by treatment with base (t-BuOK) and workup under air, resulted in the unanticipated formation of the dinuclear bis(acetylide) species [{Ru(dppe)Cp*}2{μ-CCC(R)=HC-CH=C(R)CC}] [R = Ph (2a), 4-py (2b), 4-NO2-C6H4(2c)]. The dimeric complexes 2 containing an octa-3,5-diene-1,7-diyndiyl bridging ligand are formed through a sequence of reactions involving formation of the methyl allenylidene complexes [Ru{C=C=C(R)Me}(dppe)Cp*]+and deprotonation to give the transient alkenylacetylide species [Ru{CCC(R)=CH2}(dppe)Cp*] (1). Oxidation of 1 affords the radical cation [1]+, which homocouples to give the dimeric ethane-bridged bis(allenylidene) [{Ru(dppe)Cp*}2{μ-C=C=C(R)CH2-CH2C(R)=C=C}]2+[(2-H2)2+] and is deprotonated to give 2. Examples of these various intermediates have been spectroscopically observed and isolated through stoichiometric reactions and the reaction pathway mapped by in situ electrochemical (cyclic voltammetry, CV) and infrared-spectroelectrochemical (IR-SEC) measurements. The bimetallic complexes 2a-c each undergo two sequential oxidation events at low potentials, giving species characterized by IR-SEC as a strongly delocalized mixed-valence radical cations [2a-c]+and the dicationic bis(allenylidene) species [{Ru(dppe)Cp*}2{μ-C=C=C(R)-HC=CH-C(R)=C=C}]2+[(2a-c)2+]. Chemical oxidation of 2a with one or two equivalents of [FeCp2]PF6allowed for isolation of the monocation [2a]PF6and dication [2a][PF6]2, respectively.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)2958-2973
Number of pages16
JournalOrganometallics
Volume41
Issue number21
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 14 Nov 2022

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