Ruthenium Carboxylate Research Articles

Dimeric ruthenium(II) complexes containing bridging carboxylato and aquo ligands. The crystal structure of μ-aquobis(μ-trifluoroacetato)bis[(η 4-cycloocta-1,5-diene)(trifluoroacetato)ruthenium(II)

Protonation of [Ru(μ 3-C 3H 4R) 2(C 8H 12)] (R = H, Me; C 8H 12 = cycloocta-1,5-diene) with haloacetic acids gives the dimers [Ru 2(C 8H 12) 2(O 2CR′) 2(μ-O 2CR′) 2-(μ-OH 2)] (R′ = CF 3, CCl 3 and CH 2Cl), which are precursors for a range of monomeric and dimeric ruthenium carboxylate complexes. The complex [Ru 2(C 8H 12) 2-(O 2CCF 3) 2(μ-O 2CCF 3) 2(μ-OH 2)] has been characterized by X-ray analysis.

New ruthenium carboxylate complexes

The interaction of hydrated ruthenium trichloride with carboxylic acid-acid anhydride mixtures gives crystalline complexes of formula [Ru 2(OCOR) 4Cl], (R  Me, Et, n Pr), where the ruthenium atoms have formal oxidation states of II and III. These complexes have high magnetic moments over the temperature range 300-100°K and appear to be the first spin-free complexes of ruthenium to be prepared. Other less well-defined ruthenium carboxylates are described.