Course Of Substitution Research Articles

The mechanisms and steric course of substitution at a divalent ruthenium centre

The thermal rates of substitution of one pyridine group coordinated to the optically active complex cation cis-[Ru phen2 py2]2+ (phen = o- phenanthroline, py = pyridine) dissolved in dry acetone have been measured using the anions Cl-, Br-, I-, NCS-, N-3, and NO-2. It was found that for all anions monosubstitution proceeded with complete retention of absolute configuration. The anions Cl-, Br-, I-, and NCS- substituted at a rate which was independent of their nature and concentration. The kinetics of substitution of the anions N-3 and NO-2 have not been fully resolved, but the rates of reaction of these two anions appear to be faster than the other four.