Triangular ruthenium acetate clusters containing the bis(pyridyl)propane ligand and their inclusion chemistry with β-cyclodextrin

Abstract

The triruthenium carboxylate cluster [Ru3O(OAc)6(py)2(bpp)]+ (OAc = acetate) containing the bridging 1,3-bis(4-pyridyl)propane (bpp) ligand, and its dimeric species [{Ru3O(OAc)6(py2)}2(μ-bpp)]2+ were synthesized in order to investigate their inclusion compounds with β-cyclodextrin (β-CD). Characterization of the complexes was carried out based on spectroscopic, electrochemical and spectroelectrochemical techniques, while the formation of inclusion complexes was evaluated using 1H NMR/NOESY spectroscopy. Since bpp is a flexible ligand, a DFT study was carried out in order to characterize its conformational isomers and their possible role in the host–guest chemistry with β-CD. Instead of observing the formation of inclusion compounds with different stoichiometries, we observed the formation of 1:1 bpp/β-CD compounds in which the bpp ligand assumes different conformations. The assembly of polymetallic rotaxane species was successfully demonstrated by monitoring the 1H NMR spectra of the monomeric cluster species in the presence of aquapentacyanoferrate(II) ions and β-CD.