Chemistry of the metal carbonyls. Part LI. Organotin–(carbonyl)ruthenium complexes

Abstract

Treatment of the pale yellow solid obtained from dodecacarbonyltriruthenium and sodium in liquid ammonia with triorganotin chlorides affords tin–ruthenium bonded complexes (R3Sn)2Ru(CO)4. These complexes can also be prepared by treating triorganotin hydrides with dodecacarbonyltriruthenium, when additional products of molecular formula R10Sn4Ru2(CO)6 are produced. Both (Me3Sn)2Ru(CO)4 and Me10Sn4Ru2(CO)6 are formed in low yields by heating dimethylstannane or hexamethylditin with dodecacarbonyltriruthenium. The course of these reactions is somewhat different from those observed previously with iron carbonyls. Further differences in the two systems are revealed by the existence of cis- and trans-isomers of (R3Sn)2Ru(CO)4, compared with the uniform cis-symmetry of the known iron analogues. The i.r. spectra of the new compounds in the carbonyl stretching region are reported, and some aspects of their mass spectra discussed.