Ru-Cl Bond Research Articles

Crystal structure of [1,3-bis-(2,4,6-tri-methyl-phen-yl)imidazolidin-2-yl-idene]di-chlorido-(2-{[(2-methoxyeth-yl)(meth-yl)amino]-meth-yl}benzyl-idene)ruth-en-ium.

The title compound, [RuCl2(C33H43N3O)], is an example of a new generation of N,N-dialkyl ruthenium catalysts with an N-Ru coordination bond as part of a six-membered chelate ring. The Ru atom has an Addison τ parameter of 0.244, which indicates a geometry inter-mediate between square-based pyramidal and trigonal-bipyramidal. The complex shows the usual trans arrangement of the two chlorides, with Ru-Cl bond lengths of 2.3515 (8) and 2.379 (7) Å, and a Cl-Ru-Cl angle of 158.02 (3)°. One of the chlorine atoms and the atoms of the 2-meth-oxy-N-methyl-N-[(2-methyl-phen-yl)meth-yl]ethane-1-amine group of the title complex display disorder over two positions in a 0.889 (2): 0.111 (2) ratio.

Effective and Selective Ru(II)-Arene Complexes Containing 4,4'-Substituted 2,2' Bipyridine Ligands Targeting Human Urinary Bladder Cancer Cells.

Cisplatin-based chemotherapy is a common regimen for bladder cancer, a life-threatening cancer with more than 500,000 new cases worldwide annually. Like many other metallodrugs, cisplatin causes severe side effects for its general toxicity. Organoruthenium is known for its structural stability, good anticancer activity, and possible low general toxicity. Here, we have prepared and characterized a series of water-soluble ruthenium-arene complexes with N,N'-chelating ligands: [Ru(II)-η6-arene-(4,4'-(X)2-2,2'-bipyridine)Cl]Cl (arene = p-cymene, X = C4H9 (1), COOH (2), COOCH3 (3), COOC2H5 (4); arene = benzene, X = C4H9 (5), COOCH3 (6), COOC2H5 (7)). These complexes are carefully characterized using single-crystal X-ray diffraction, UV-vis, IR, 1H NMR, and MALDI-TOF MS spectroscopy. Their DFT-calculated structural and thermodynamic properties are consistent with the experimental observations. Biophysicochemical studies of complex interaction with CTDNA and BSA supported by molecular docking simulations reveal suitable properties of 1-7 as anticancer agents. Cytotoxicities of 1-7 are evaluated on healthy human MCF-10a-breast epithelial and African green monkey Vero cells, and carcinoma human HepG-2-hepatic, T24-bladder, and EAhy-926-endothelial cells. All complexes exhibit much higher cytotoxicity for T24 than cisplatin. Particularly, 1 and 2 are also highly selective toward T24. Fluorescence imaging and flow cytometry demonstrate that 1 and 2 penetrate T24 cell membrane and induce early apoptosis at their respective IC50 concentrations, which ultimately lead to cell death. Statistical analysis suggests that the order of importance for T24 cell antiproliferation is protein binding, Log p, Ru-Cl bond length, while DNA binding is the least important. This study is the first to report the anti-bladder cancer efficacy of Ru-arene-2,2'-bipyridine complexes, and may provide insights for rational design of organoruthenium drugs in the enduring search for new chemotherapeutic agents.

Ruthenium(II)–Arene Complexes with Glycosylated NHC-Carbene Co-Ligands: Synthesis, Hydrolytic Behavior, and Binding to Biological Molecules

Ruthenium(II) complexes with a three-legged piano-stool structure based on an arene ring, an N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC)-carbene ligand with a peracetylated glucose moiety and two chlorides or one bidentate ligand, were prepared and characterized by spectroscopy and crystallography. In one case, the sugar substituent is replaced by an ethyl. The chirality of the sugar results in the formation of two diastereomers that interconvert through rotations around the Ccarbene–Ru and Carene–Ru bonds. In water, the complexes undergo a series of equilibrium hydrolysis steps involving the Ru–Cl bonds. The Ru–arene bond and the sugar acetyls are also partially hydrolyzed, and the selectivity of the process is governed by the nature of the arene and the pH of the solution. The reactivity of the compounds was studied against model nucleophiles and biological macromolecules. In the former case, mass experiments demonstrated a variety of binding modes with a trend reflecting the stability in aqueous environment. In the latter case, protein crystallography was used to characterize the preferential binding sites of one of the complexes. The X-ray structure of the adduct formed upon reaction of one representative complex with hen egg white lysozyme contains a Ru center, which retains the carbene ligand, close to the side chain of Asp119. In the adduct with bovine pancreatic ribonuclease, there are two protein molecules in the asymmetric unit. In one molecule, two Ru centers are located close to the side chains of His105 and of His119, which is the protein active site. In the second molecule, only one Ru center was found in the proximity of the side chain of His105. The Ru complexes also interact with calf-thymus DNA, although without displacing the intercalating probe EB. Finally, the complexes are essentially inactive against the human ovarian carcinoma A2780 cells, the cisplatin-resistant A2780cis cells, and the human embryonic kidney HEK293T cells.

Distinctive Aspects in Aquation, Proton-Coupled Redox, and Photoisomerization Reactions between Geometric Isomers of Mononuclear Ruthenium Complexes with a Large-π-Conjugated Tetradentate Ligand.

Geometric isomers of mononuclear ruthenium(II) complexes, distal-/proximal-[Ru(tpy)(dpda)Cl]+ (d-/p-RuCl, tpy = 2,2':6',2″-terpyridine, dpda = 2,7-bis(2-pyridyl)-1,8-diazaanthracene), were newly synthesized to comprehensively investigate the geometric and electronic structures and distinctive aspects in various reactions between isomers. The ultraviolet (UV)-visible absorption spectra of d-/p-RuCl isomers show intense bands for metal-to-ligand charge transfer (MLCT) at close wavelengths of 576 and 573 nm, respectively. However, time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) calculations suggest that the MLCT transition of d-RuCl involves mainly single transitions to the π* orbital of the dpda ligand in contrast to mixing of the π* orbitals of the dpda and tpy ligands for p-RuCl. The aquation reaction (1.5 × 10-3 s-1) of p-RuCl to yield proximal-[Ru(tpy)(dpda)(OH2)]2+ (p-RuH2O) is faster than that (5.3 × 10-6 s-1) of d-RuCl in D2O/CD3OD (4:1 v/v) by three orders of magnitude, which resulted from the longer Ru-Cl bond by 0.017 Å and the distorted angle (100.2(3)°) of Cl-Ru-N (a nitrogen of dpda, being on a tpy plane) due to the steric repulsion between Cl and dpda for p-RuCl. Electrochemical measurements showed that d-RuH2O undergoes a 2-step oxidation reaction of 1H+-coupled 1e- processes of RuII-OH2/RuIII-OH and RuIII-OH/RuIV═O at pH 1-9, whereas p-RuH2O undergoes a 1-step oxidation reaction of a 2H+-coupled 2e- process of RuII-OH2/RuIV═O in the pH range of pH 1-10. The irreversible photoisomerization from d-RuH2O to p-RuH2O was observed in aqueous solution with an internal quantum yield (Φ) of 5.4 × 10-3% at 520 nm, which is lower compared with Φ = 1.1-2.1% of mononuclear Ru(II) aquo complexes with similar bidentate ligands instead of dpda by three orders of magnitude. This is possibly ascribed to the faster nonradiative decay rate from the excited 3MLCT state to the ground state for d-RuH2O due to the lower π* level of dpda ligands according to the energy-gap law: the rate decreases exponentially with the increasing energy gap.

Di-chlorido-(η6-p-cymene)[tris-(4-meth-oxy-phen-yl)phosphane]ruthenium(II).

The title compound, [RuCl2(C10H14)(C21H21O3P)], crystallizes with two complex mol-ecules in the asymmetric unit. The RuII atom has a classical three-legged piano-stool environment being coordinated by a cymene ligand [Ru-centroid = 1.707 (2)/1.704 (2) Å], a tris-(4-meth-oxy-phen-yl)phosphane ligand [Ru-P = 2.3629 (15)/2.3665 (15) Å] and two chloride atoms with the Ru-Cl bonds adopting two distinct values of 2.4068 (16)/2.4167 (16) and 2.4016 (15)/2.4244 (16) Å. The effective cone and solid angles for the phosphane ligands were calculated to be 149.5/150.2° and 25.3/25.6°, respectively. In the crystal, weak C-H⋯Cl/O/π inter-actions are observed. The crystal was refined as a two-component twin.

A series of ruthenium(II) organometallic complexes incorporating pyridine-2-carboxylato ligand: Detailed spectroscopic and computional studies

The reaction of Ru(κ2C,O-RL)(PPh3)2(CO)Cl, 1 with excess sodium salt of pyridine-2-carboxylic acid (Napic) furnishes the complexes of the type Ru(κ1C-RL)(PPh3)2(CO) (pic), 2(R) with excellent yield (κ2C,O-RL is C6H2O-2-CHNHC6H4R(p)-3-Me-5, κ1C-RL is C6H2OH-2-CHNC6H4R(p)-3-Me-5 and R is Me, OMe, Cl). The chelation of pic is attended with the cleavage of Ru–O and Ru–Cl bonds and iminium–phenolato→imine–phenol prototropic shift. The 1 ​→ ​2 conversion is irreversible and the type 2 species are thermodynamically more stable than the acetate, nitrite and nitrate complexes of 1. The spectral (UV–vis, IR, 1H NMR) and electrochemical data of the complexes are reported. In dichloromethane solution the complexes display one quasi–reversible RuIII/RuII cyclic voltammetric response with E1/2 in the range 0.72–0.80 ​V vs. Ag/AgCl. The crystal and molecular structure of Ru(κ1C-MeOL)(PPh3)2(CO)(pic)∙CH3CN is reported which revealed distorted octahedral RuC2P2NO coordination sphere. The pairs (P, P), (C, O) and (C, N) define the three trans directions. The electronic structures of the complexes are also scrutinized by density functional theory (DFT) and time–dependent density functional theory (TD–DFT) calculations.

Luminescent naphthalimide-tagged ruthenium(ii)-arene complexes: cellular imaging, photocytotoxicity and transferrin binding.

Two water-soluble piano-stool shaped ruthenium(ii)-arene complexes, [RuII(η6-p-cymene)(L)Cl2] [RuLCl] and [RuII(η6-p-cymene)(L)(PTA)Cl] [RuLPTA], were designed as emissive photocytotoxic agents tagged with morpholine as the lysosome targeting moiety. Here, L = N-(2-morpholinoethyl)-4-(2-aminoethyl)amino-naphthalimide, and PTA = 1,3,5-triaza-7-phosphatricyclo-[3.3.1.1]decane. The crystal structure of [RuLCl] exhibits the pseudooctahedral 'three-legged piano-stool' geometry, wherein Ru(ii) is bound to the η6-p-cymene moiety as a base and two chlorides and the amine-N of the ligand L occupies the three legs of the stool. The complexes exhibited both the possibility of covalent adduct formation via the hydrolyzed Ru-Cl bond and non-covalent intercalation binding through planar naphthalimide moieties. The complexes showed enhanced photo-cytotoxicity under low-power blue LED light irradiation (λmax = 448 nm) mediated by 1O2, thereby acting as potential PDT agents. Fluorescence microscopy studies revealed that luminescent complexes preferentially localized in both the lysosomes and nucleus for effectively targeting and damaging the nuclear DNA for PDT effects. Due to enhanced lipophilicity of [RuLCl], it showed higher internalization into MCF-7 cell, measured in terms of the ruthenium content using ICP-MS. The interaction of the complexes with human transferrin (hTf) proteins was studied through molecular docking calculations, suggesting favorable binding through histidine residues and possible internalization into cancer cells via TfR-mediated endocytosis. The luminescence properties of the complexes were well-utilized to study their cellular uptake mechanism via endocytosis using fluorescence microscopy.

Spectroscopic characterisation of Grubbs 2nd generation catalyst and its p-cresol derivatives

p-Cresol derivatives of the Grubbs 2nd generation catalyst were prepared with either hydrogen bonds between p-cresol and the Cl-ligands or ligand exchange between the Grubbs 2nd generation catalyst and thallium p-cresolate to form Ru-O coordination bonds and TlCl. ATR FTIR and UV–Vis spectroscopic studies revealed a blue shift in certain bands, indicating that coordination occurred. X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy was recorded for each of the three Ru-complexes. The binding energy of the Ru 3d5/2, Ru 3p3/2 photoelectron line (found at ca. 281 and 462 eV, respectively) of the different complexes showed the influence of the inductive electronic effects of the p-cresol interaction with the complexes. The Cl 2p photoelectron lines indicated ionic and covalent environments, representing the TlCl and the Ru-Cl bonds, respectively. The atomic ratio between Ru:P:Cl:N:Tl confirmed the binding modes of p-cresol to the Grubbs 2nd generation catalyst.

Synthesis, Structural and Physicochemical Properties of Water-Soluble Mixed-Ligand Diruthenium Complexes Containing Anilinopyridinate Bridging Ligands.

A series of water-soluble Ru25+ complexes of the type Ru2(O2CCH3)3(L)Cl where L = 2,3,4,5,6-F5ap, 2,4,6-F3ap, 2-Fap, ap, 2-Meap, 2,6-Me2ap, or 2,4,6-Me3ap, where ap is the anilinopyridinate anion, have been characterized as to their structural and physicochemical properties in H2O and DMSO. Five of the newly synthesized complexes were structurally characterized, and the Ru-Cl bond lengths range from 2.477 to 2.544 Å while the Ru-Ru bond lengths range from 2.2838 to 2.2935 Å. The UV-vis spectra of each compound are characterized by three absorption bands in both H2O and DMSO, the intensity and position of which vary with both the type of bridging ligand and the solvent. The seven examined Ru25+ complexes exist as 1:1 electrolytes in water, and each undergoes a reversible one-electron reduction assigned to Ru25+/Ru24+ in both investigated solvents. A second irreversible reduction attributed to Ru24+/Ru23+ is also observed for each compound at more negative potentials in DMSO. A linear free energy relationship exists between the sum of the Hammett substituent constants (Σσ) on the ap-type bridging ligand and the wavenumber of an absorption band for the Ru25+ complexes. A linear relationship is also seen between Σσ and measured E1/2 values for the Ru25+/Ru24+ process in water containing 0.1 M KCl, but little to no effect is seen between the specific bridging ligand and the structural features of the investigated compounds.

Modulation of the solubility properties of arene ruthenium complexes bearing stannyl ligands as potential anti-cancer agents

Cleavage of the known ruthenium dimer [RuCl2(η6-C6H5OCH2CH2OH)]2 (1), bearing a hydrophilic substituent on the η6 coordinated aromatic ring, with the phosphine ligands: triphenyl phosphine, triphenyl phosphite, trimethyl phosphite, and 1,3,5-triaza-7-phosphaadamantane (PTA) afforded the known complexes [RuCl2(η6-C6H5OCH2CH2OH)(PPh3)] (2a), [RuCl2(η6-C6H5OCH2CH2OH){P(OPh)3}] (2b), [RuCl2(η6-C6H5OCH2CH2OH){P(OMe3)}] (2c), and [RuCl2 (η6-C6H5OCH2CH2OH)(PTA)] (4). The reaction of the known complex 2a with SnCl2 afforded, by facile insertion of the SnCl2 moiety into the RuCl bond, the novel complex [RuCl(η6-C6H5OCH2CH2OH)(PPh3)(SnCl3)] (3a). Similarly, the reaction of complex 2b with SnCl2 afforded the novel complex [RuCl(η6-C6H5OCH2CH2OH){P(OPh)3}(SnCl3)] (3b). Complexes 3a and 3b were fully characterized by spectroscopy (Infrared (IR) -spectroscopy, 1H, 31P and 119Sn Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, UV–Vis spectroscopy and high resolution ESI-MS) and their thermal behaviour elucidated by Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA). Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations (Level of theory B3LYP, basis set for H, C, P, O, N and Cl is 6-31 + G (d,p) and for Ru and Sn is DGDZVP) for complex 3a, 3b and 4 were also carried out, in particular to elucidate the bonding situation between Ru and Sn in complexes. The hitherto unprecedented anti-cancer activity of the complexes 2a – 2c as well as the novel stannyl complexes 3a and 3b were evaluated against MCF-7 (oestrogen receptor positive) human breast adenocarcinoma cell lines. All complexes show activity active against MCF-7 cell lines, indicating potential application as an anti-tumor agent.

Ruthenium Trichloride Catalyst in Water: Ru Colloids versus Ru Dimer Characterization Investigations.

An easy-to-prepare ruthenium catalyst obtained from ruthenium(III) trichloride in water demonstrates efficient performances in the oxidation of several cycloalkanes with high selectivity toward the ketone. In this work, several physicochemical techniques were used to demonstrate the real nature of the ruthenium salt still unknown in water and to define the active species for this Csp3-H bond functionalization. From transmission electron microscopy analyses corroborated by SAXS analyses, spherical nanoobjects were observed with an average diameter of 1.75 nm, thus being in favor of the formation of reduced species. However, further investigations, based on X-ray scattering and absorption analyses, showed no evidence of the presence of a metallic Ru-Ru bond, proof of zerovalent nanoparticles, but the existence of Ru-O and Ru-Cl bonds, and thus the formation of a water-soluble complex. The EXAFS (extended X-ray absorption fine structure) spectra revealed the presence of an oxygen-bridged diruthenium complex [Ru(OH) xCl3- x]2(μ-O) with a high oxidation state in agreement with catalytic results. This study constitutes a significant advance to determine the true nature of the RuCl3·3H2O salt in water and proves once again the invasive nature of the electron beam in microscopy experiments, routinely used in nanochemistry.

Crystal structure of [1,3-bis-(2,4,6-tri-methyl-phen-yl)imidazolidin-2-yl-idene]di-chlorido-{2-[1-(di-methyl-amino)-eth-yl]benzyl-idene}ruthenium including an unknown solvate.

The title compound, [RuCl2(C21H26N2)(C11H15N)], is an example of a new generation of N,N-dialkyl metallocomplex ruthenium catalysts with an N→Ru coordination bond as part of a six-membered chelate ring. The Ru atom has an Addison τ parameter of 0.234, which indicates a geometry inter-mediate between square-based pyramidal and trigonal-bipyramidal. The complex shows the usual trans arrangement of the two chloride ligands, with Ru-Cl bond lengths of 2.3397 (8) and 2.3476 (8) Å, and a Cl-Ru- Cl angle of 157.47 (3)°. The crystal structure features C-H⋯Cl, C-H⋯π and π-π stacking inter-actions. The solvent mol-ecules were found to be highly disordered and their contribution to the scattering was removed with the SQUEEZE procedure in PLATON [Spek (2015). Acta Cryst. C71, 9-18], which indicated a solvent cavity of volume 1096 Å3 containing approximately 419 electrons. These solvent mol-ecules are not considered in the given chemical formula and other crystal data.

Spectroscopic, structural, electrochemical, and cytotoxicity studies on dithiocarbamato-chelated ruthenium organometallics incorporating imine-phenol function

The heterogeneous phase reaction of [Ru(η2-RL)(PPh3)2(CO)Cl] (1) with the sodium salts of dimethyl dithiocarbamate (MeDTC), diethyl dithiocarbamate (EtDTC), and pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PyrDTC) ligands led to the isolation of bright-yellow crystalline solids of type [Ru(η1-RL)(PPh3)2(CO)(R′DTC)] (2(R)(R′DTC)) where η2-RL is C6H2O-2-CHNHC6H4R(p)-3-Me-5, η1-RL is C6H2OH-2-CHNC6H4R(p)-3-Me-5, R is Me, OMe, Cl, and R′ = Me, Et, Pyr. The binding of dithiocarbamate ligand is accompanied by the dissociation of Ru-O and Ru-Cl bonds along with concomitant prototropic shift from iminium–phenolato to imine–phenol motif. The reaction also involves a sterically controlled change in rotational conformation in going to the products. The X-ray crystal structure of [Ru(η1-ClL)(PPh3)2(CO)(EtDTC)] (2(Cl)(EtDTC)) has been described here. An account of different spectral (UV–Vis, IR, NMR) and electrochemical data of the complexes are also asserted. Density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) analyses were performed to scrutinize the electronic structure and the absorption spectra of the complexes. One of the dithiocarbamato complexes has also been found to have in vitro antiproliferative properties against MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell line which was determined by MTT assay. Cell death occurs mainly through apoptosis and flow cytometric analysis indicates that the complex induces cell cycle arrest in the sub G0/G1 phase.

Pyridine-2-olato chelated ruthenium(II) organometallics incorporating imine-phenol function: spectroscopic, structural, electrochemical, and theoretical studies

The heterogeneous phase reaction of excess sodium salt of 2-hydroxypyridine (OHpy) with [Ru(κ2C,O-RL)(PPh3)2(CO)Cl] (1) afforded complexes of the type [Ru(κ1C-RL)(PPh3)2(CO)(Opy)] (2) in excellent yield [κ2C,O-RL is 4-methyl-6-((N-R-arylimino)methyl)phenolato-C2,O), κ1C-RL is 4-methyl-6-((N-R-arylimino)methyl)phenol-C2) and R is H, Me, OMe, Cl]. The chelation of Opy is attended with the cleavage of Ru-O and Ru-Cl bonds and iminium-phenolato → imine-phenol prototropic shift. The 1→2 conversion is irreversible and the type 2 species are thermodynamically more stable than the acetate, nitrite, and nitrate complexes of 1. The spectral (UV-vis, IR, NMR) and electrochemical data of the complexes are reported. In dichloromethane solution the complexes display one quasi-reversible RuIII/RuII cyclic voltammetric response with E1/2 in the range 0.65–0.69 V versus Ag/AgCl. The crystal and molecular structures of [Ru(κ1C-HL)(PPh3)2(CO)(Opy)]·2C6H6·0.5H2O, 2(H)·2C6H6·0.5H2O and [Ru(κ1C-ClL)(PPh3)2(CO)(Opy)]·2C6H6·0.25H2O, 2(Cl)·2C6H6·0.25H2O are reported, which revealed a distorted octahedral RuC2P2NO coordination sphere. The pairs (P,P), (C,O), and (C,N) define the three trans directions. The electronic structures of the complexes are also scrutinized by density functional theory.

Ruthenium mediated halogenation of white phosphorus: synthesis and reactivity of the unprecedented P4Cl2 moiety.

The transition metal mediated functionalization of P4 is an approach to develop a more sustainable production of organophosphorus compounds. In this paper a ruthenium complex is presented, in which the P4 unit can be selectively converted into new P4R2 molecules in a two-step synthesis. The unsaturated 16 electron species [RuX(Cp*)(PCy3)] (Cp* = C5Me5, X = Cl, Br) reacts with a half equivalent of P4 affording a bimetallic complex bearing a planar P4X2 moiety as a ligand. The latter eliminates chloride anions under reduction with magnesium. In this process the butadiene-like P4Cl2 ligand is converted into two weakly bound P2 units which bridge the ruthenium centers. In the presence of n-BuLi, the P4Cl2 unit can be selectively alkylated, yielding the planar organophosphorus ligand P4nBu2. A detailed analysis of the electronic properties and solid state structures of the compounds combined with DFT calculations and AIM analyses demonstrate that the P4 unit in all complexes acts as an electronically highly flexible, non-innocent ligand.

Trans-Bis(2,2′-bipyridine-4,4′-dicarboxylic acid-κ2 N,N′)dichloridoruthenium(III) perchlorate

In the crystal structure of the ruthenium(III) complex, trans-[RuIII(dcbpy)2Cl2]ClO4 (dcbpy = 2,2′-bipyridine-4,4′-dicarboxylic acid, C12H8N2O4), the RuIII atom lies on an inversion centre, showing a small distortion in its octahedral environment. The Ru—Cl bond lengths are shorter than those present in the analogous trans-ruthenium(II) compound containing the bipyridine ligand. The C—O distances in the two symmetry-independent carboxylic acid moieties of the ligand are similar in one group, but different in the other. This is probably due to the different intermolecular interactions they experience with neighbouring cationic complexes. The hydrogen-bonding interactions in which they are involved form a three-dimensional structure, similar to those found in coordination polymers.

Synthesis, characterisation and cytotoxicity studies of ruthenium arene complexes bearing trichlorogermyl ligands

The synthesis of five half sandwich ruthenium(II) trichlorogermyl complexes of the type [(η6-Arene)Ru(PR3)Cl(GeCl3)] (PR3 = Phosphane and phosphite ligands; Arene = p-cymene or C6H5-OC2H4OH) is reported: [(η6-p-cymene)Ru(P(OMe)3)Cl(GeCl3)] (1), [(η6-p-cymene)Ru(P(OPh)3)Cl(GeCl3)] (2), [(η6-p-cymene)Ru(PPh3)Cl(GeCl3)] (3), [(η6-p-cymene)Ru(pta)Cl(GeCl3)] (pta = 1,3,5-triaza-7-phosphaadamantane) (4) and [(η6-C6H5-OC2H4OH)Ru(pta)Cl(GeCl3)] (5). The nature of the η6-arene and phosphane ligand was varied and the complexes have been prepared by facile insertion of GeCl2 (from GeCl2.(dioxane)) into the Ru-Cl bonds of the respective easily accessible precursor complexes [(η6-Arene)Ru(PR3)Cl2]. The complexes were fully spectroscopically characterized by 1H, 13C{1H} and 31P{1H} NMR spectroscopy, UV-Vis, ATR-IR, HRMS (ESI) and their thermal behavior elucidated by TGA. Their cytotoxicity to human ovarian carcinoma (A2780) and non-tumorigenic human embryonic kidney HEK293 cell lines is also reported, and represents the first cytotoxic investigations of Ru(II) germyl complexes to date. The first DFT studies (B3LYP; basis set 6-31+G(d,p) for H, C, O, P, Cl, N, and Ge atoms and DGDZVP for Ru atom) on trichlorogermyl ruthenium complexes were carried out on complex 2 and 5 in order to gain insights into the bonding situation between Ru and Ge and are reported.

Synthesis and Structure of Ruthenium Complexes $$\rm[{Ph_{3}PR]_2^+[RuCl_6]^{2-}}$$ [ P h 3 P R ] 2 + [ R u C l 6 ] 2 − (R = C2H5, CH=CHCH3, CH2CH=CHCH3, CH2OCH3), and $$\rm[{Ph_{3}PCH_2CH=CHCH_2{PPh_3}]_2^{2+}[Ru_2Cl_{10}O]^{4-}}$$ [ P h 3 P C H 2 C H = C H C H 2 P P h 3 ] 2 2 + [ R u

Complexes \(\rm[{Ph_{3}PR]_2^+[RuCl_6]^{2-}}\), where R = C2H5 (I), CH=CHCH3 (II), CH2CH=CHCH3 (III), and CH2OCH3 (IV), have been prepared by the reaction between ruthenium(III) chloride hydrate and triphenylorganylphosphonium chlorides in dimethylsulfoxide in the presence of hydrochloric acid. A hydrochloric acid solution of ruthenium(III) chloride hydrate when mixed with an aqueous solution of 2-butylene-1,4- bis(triphenylphosphonium dichloride) followed by recrystallization from dimethylsulfoxide results in complex \(\rm[{Ph_{3}PCH_2CH=CHCH_2{PPh_3}]_2^{2+}[Ru_2Cl_{10}O]^{4-}}\)· 4H2O (V). According to X-ray diffraction data, phosphorus atoms in mono- and binuclear cations have slightly distorted tetrahedral coordination (CPC 105.54(13)°−113.00(8)°, P−C 1.758(9)−1.839(7) A). In slightly distorted octahedral anions [RuCl6]2− of complexes I–IV, the Ru−Cl bond lengths vary in the range 2.3222(6)−2.340(2) A; the cis-ClRuCl and trans-ClRuCl angles are 89.133(18)°–90.867(18)° and 179.53(13)°–180°, respectively. In the binuclear [(RuCl5)2O]4− anion of complex V, RuCl5 fragments are bonded by a bridging oxygen atom. The Ru–Cl bond lengths fall in the range 2.3375(8)−2.3957(8) A; the Ru–O bond length is 1.7832(2) A. The cis-ClRuCl, trans-ClRuCl, cis-ORuCl, and trans-ORuCl angles are 86.67(3)°−91.28(3)°, 174.60(3)°−174.83(3)°, 91.49(2)°−93.65(2)°, and 178.39(2)°, respectively. In crystals I–V, interionic hydrogen bonds Cl···Hcation (2.63−2.95 A), Cl··· \({\rm{H}_{{H_2}O}}\) (2.35−2.79 A), and Hcation···\({\rm{O}_{{H_2}O}}\) (1.72−1.93 A) (for V) are found.

α-Diimines as Versatile, Derivatizable Ligands in Ruthenium(II) p-Cymene Anticancer Complexes.

α-Diimines are among the most robust and versatile ligands available in synthetic coordination chemistry, possessing finely tunable steric and electronic properties. A series of novel cationic ruthenium(II) p-cymene complexes bearing simple α-diimine ligands, [(η6- p-cymene)RuCl{κ2 N-(HCNR)2}]NO3 (R = Cy, [1]NO3; R = 4-C6H10OH, [2]NO3; R = 4-C6H4OH, [3]NO3), were prepared in near-quantitative yields as their nitrate salts. [2]NO3 displays high water solubility. The potential of the α-diimine ligand in [3]NO3 as a carrier of bioactive molecules was investigated via esterification reactions with the hydroxyl groups. Thus, the double-functionalized derivatives [(η6- p-cymene)RuCl{κ2 N-(HCN(4-C6H4OCO-R))2}]NO3 (R = aspirinate, [5]NO3; valproate, [6]NO3) and also [4]Cl (R = Me) were obtained in good-to-high yields. UV-vis and multinuclear NMR spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetric studies in aqueous solution revealed only minor ruthenium chloride hydrolytic cleavage, biologically accessible reduction potentials, and pH-dependent behavior of [3]NO3. Density functional theory analysis was performed in order to compare the Ru-Cl bond strength in [1]+ with the analogous ethylenediamine complex, showing that the higher stability observed in the former is related to the electron-withdrawing properties of the α-diimine ligand. In vitro cytotoxicity studies were performed against tumorigenic (A2780 and A2780cisR) and nontumorigenic (HEK-293) cell lines, with the complexes bearing simple α-diimine ligands ranging from inactive to IC50 values in the low micromolar range. The complexes functionalized with bioactive components, i.e., [5]NO3 and [6]NO3, exhibited a marked increase in the cytotoxicity with respect to the precursor [3]NO3.

Ruthenium(η⁶,η¹-arene-CH₂-NHC) Catalysts for Direct Arylation of 2-Phenylpyridine with (Hetero)Aryl Chlorides in Water.

A series of new benzimidazolium halides were synthesized in good yields as unsymmetrical N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) precursors containing the N–CH2–arene group. The benzimidazolium halides were readily converted into ruthenium(II)–NHC complexes with the general formula [RuCl2(η6,η1–arene–CH2–NHC)]. The structures of all new compounds were characterized by 1H NMR (Nuclear Magnetic Resonance), 13C NMR, FT-IR (Fourier Transform Infrared) spectroscopy and elemental analysis techniques. The single crystal structure of one benzimidazole ruthenium complex, 2b, was determined. The complex is best thought of as containing an octahedrally coordinated Ru center with the arene residue occupying three sites, the remaining sites being occupied by a (carbene)C–Ru bond and two Ru–Cl bonds. The catalytic activity of [RuCl2(η6,η1–arene–CH2–NHC)] complexes was evaluated in the direct (hetero)arylation of 2-phenylpyridine with (hetero)aryl chlorides in water as the nontoxic reaction medium. These results show that catalysts 2a and 2b were the best for monoarylation with simple phenyl and tolyl chlorides. For functional aryl chlorides, 2d, 2e, and 2c appeared to be the most efficient.