RUTHENIUM COMPLEXES WITH BRIDGING FUNCTIONALIZED ALKYLIDENE LIGANDS SYNTHESIS OF [RU2CP2(CO)2(MU-CO)(MU-C(X)N(ME)CH2PH)] (X=H,CN) AND MOLECULAR-STRUCTURE OF THE CN DERIVATIVE

The isocyanide complex [Ru2Cp2(CO)3(CNCH2Ph)], obtained by the reaction of [RU2CP2(CO)4] With CNCH2Ph in the presence of Me3NO, has been N-alkylated, yielding the cationic mu-alkylidyne complex [RU2CP2(CO)3{mu-CN(Me)CH2Ph}]SO3CF3. The compound yielded undergoes nucleophilic addition using NaBH4 or NnBu4CN at the mu-C alkylidyne carbon to give the novel mu-aminoalkylidene complexes [Ru2Cp2(CO)2(mu-CO)(mu-C(X)N(Me)CH2Ph}] (X = H, CN). The derivative with X = CN adopts the expected geometry and an idealized C(s) symmetry if the phenyl substituent is ignored. The relevant bond distances are as follows: Ru-Ru, 2.711(1) angstrom, Ru-mu-C(carbene), 2.090(4) angstrom (ave.); C(carbene)-N, 1.477(5) angstrom; N-C(alkyl), 1.474(5) angstrom (ave.).