Redox activation of the hexanuclear ruthenium cluster [Ru6C(CO)16]2? using oxidative addition

Abstract

The dianion [Ru6C(CO)16]2–(1) reacts with ligands L[= CO, P(OMe)3, PPh3, or PPh2Me] in the presence of [Fe(η5-C5H5)2]BF4, FeCl3 or electrochemically to yield the corresponding [Ru6C(CO)16L] derivatives; with the disubstituted alkynes PhCCEt or EtCCMe, the dianion (1) gives the alkyne substituted clusters [Ru6C(CO)15(PhCCEt)] and [Ru6C(CO)15(EtCCMe)] as the respective products at room temperature; and with C5Me5H or C6H5(CH3) the compounds [Ru6C(CO)14-(µ-H)(η5-C5Me5)] and [Ru6C(CO)14{η6-C6H5(CH3)}] are obtained.