The Synthesis of the Arene Clusters Ru 6 C(CO)14(η6-Arene) (Arene = C 6 H 5 CHMe 2 , C 6 H 5 C 4 H 9 , C 6 H 5 C 3 H 7 , and C 6 H 5 C 3 H 5 )

Abstract

On reaction with Ru3(CO)12, isopropenylbenzene and 4-phenyl-l-butene undergo hydrogenation, to yield the clusters, Ru6C(CO)14(η6-C6H5CHMe2) 1 and Ru6C(CO)14(η6-C6H5C4H9) 2, respectively. With allylbenzene, both hydrogenation and isomerization occurs affording Ru6C(CO)14(η6-C6H5C3H7) 3 and Ru6C(CO)14(η6-C6H5C3H5) 4. The structures of 1 and 2 have been established by single crystal X-ray diffraction. One of the Ru–Ru bond lengths in 2 is unusually long and extended Huckel molecular orbital calculations have been used in an attempt to rationalize this feature.