(2,6-Bis{1-[4-(dimethylamino)phenylimino]ethyl}pyridine)dichlorido(triphenylphosphine-κP)ruthenium(II): a zigzag chain of fused centrosymmetricR22(12) rings

Abstract

The title compound, [RuCl(2)(C(25)H(29)N(5))(C(18)H(15)P)], a transfer hydrogenation catalyst, is supported by an N,N',N''-tridentate pyridine-bridged ligand and triphenylphosphine. The Ru(II) centre is six-coordinated in a distorted octahedral arrangement, with the two Cl atoms located in the axial positions, and the pyridine (py) N atom, the two imino N atoms and the triphenylphosphine P atom located in the equatorial plane. The two equatorial Ru-N(imino) distances (mean 2.093 A) are substantially longer than the equatorial Ru-N(py) bond [1.954 (4) A]. It is observed that the N(imino)-M-N(py) bond angle for the five-membered chelate rings of 2,6-bis(imino)pyridine-based complexes is inversely related to the magnitude of the M-N(py) bond. The title structure is stabilized by intra- and intermolecular C-H...Cl hydrogen bonds, as well as by intramolecular pi-pi stacking interactions between the aromatic rings belonging to the triphenylphosphine ligand and the dimethylaminophenyl fragment. The intermolecular hydrogen bonds form an R(2)(2)(12) ring and a zigzag chain of fused centrosymmetric rings running parallel to the [100] direction.