Synthesis and characterization of Ru(arene) complexes of bispyrazolylazines: Catalytic hydrogen transfer of ketones

Abstract

The bis(pyrazol-1-yl)azine ligands 2,3-bis(pyrazol-1-yl)quinoxaline (bpzqnx), 2,3-bis(pyrazol-1-yl)pyrazine (bpzprz) and 3,6-bis(3,5-dimethylpyrazol-1-yl)pyridazine (bpz*pdz) were prepared by the reaction of pyrazolate salts and the corresponding azine dichloride derivatives. The reaction of these ligands with Ru(arene) precursors led to the mononuclear complexes [RuCl(arene)(L)]BPh 4 (arene = p-cymene, L = bpzqnx, 1, bpzprz, 5, bpz*pdz, 7; arene = C 6H 6, L = bpzqnx, 2, bpzprz, 6, bpz*pdz, 8) with the N-donor ligand coordinated in a bidentate chelate way. In general, the ligands coordinate through one pyrazole ring and the azine, except in the cases of 1 and 2 where the two pyrazolyl rings are coordinated to the metal in a symmetrical way. When the reactions between the ruthenium precursors and bpzqnx are carried out in MeOH, the complexes [RuCl(arene)(OMepzqnx)]BPh 4 with partially methanolyzed ligands are isolated (arene = p-cymene, 3; C 6H 6, 4). In this process a methoxy group has replaced one of the pyrazole groups in the ligand. The X-ray structures of 6 and 7 have been determined. These compounds have a three-legged piano-stool structure with cations and anions packed through weak interactions. Complexes 1– 8 are active in ketone hydrogenation transfer processes even in the absence of base.