Cationic ruthenium(II) complexes containing 1,4- bis(diphenylphosphino)butane and coordinated solvent molecules

Abstract

Efforts to develop catalysts for asymmetric hydrogenation using ruthenium(II)- chelated ditertiary phosphine complexes have led to the synthesis of the complexes [{Ru(PP)(CH 3CN)} 2μ-Cl 3] +PF 6 −, [RuCl(PP)(CH 3CN) 3] + PF 6 −, and [RuCl(η 6- toluene)(PP)] + PF 6 −, where PP=1,4-bis(diphenylphosphino)butane. The characterization of the complexes, including X-ray data for the pseudo-tetrahedral toluene complex, is described. In preliminary tests, the tris(acetonitrile) complex has been shown to be a precursor for a catalyst that effects homogeneous hydrogenation of terminal olefins, CH,CN, and imines.