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Synthesis and Characterization. Reaction of [RuII(PPh3)3Cl2] with MeQH in the presence of Et3N in MeOH produces a neutral carbonyl hydrido complex [RuII(MeQ)(PPh3)2(CO)(H)] (1). Under similar reaction conditions using [RuII{P(C6H4Me)3}3Cl2] or [RuII{P(C6H4OMe)3}3Cl2] in place of [RuII(PPh3)3Cl2] also afforded the target carbonyl hydrido complexes with the corresponding phosphine ligands, [RuII(MeQ){P(C6H4Me)3}2(CO)(H)] (2) and [RuII(MeQ){P(C6H4OMe)3}2(CO)(H)] (3), respectively (Scheme 1a). The carbonyl and hydride ligands of these complexes are derived from the decarbonylation of primary alcohol (MeOH). Similar decarbonylation of methanol, such as the formation of carbonyl hydrido complex [RuII(PPh3)3(CO)(Cl)(H)] from the reaction between 16e– ruthenium complex [RuII(PPh3)3(Cl)2] and MeOH in the presence of base,11 are commonly reported in other transition metals complexes, in particular for those with 16e– Ru(II) metal center.[ (a) Bennet, M. A.; Bruce, M. I.; Matheson, T. W. In Comprehensive Organometallic Chemistry; Wilkinson, G.; Stone, F. G. A.; Abel, E. W.; Eds.; Pergamon Press: Oxford, U.K., 1982, Vol. 4, pp 721. (b) Chatt, J.; Shaw, B. L.; Field, A. E. J. Chem. Soc. 1964, 3466. (c) Benedetti, E.; Braca, G.; Sbrana, G.; Salvetti, F.; Grassi, B. J. Organomet. Chem. 1972, 37, 361. (d) Empsall, H. D.; Hyde, E. M.; Mentzer, E.; Shaw, B. L.; Uttley, M. F. J. Chem. Soc., Dalton Trans. 1976, 2069. (e) Chaudret, B. N.; Cole-Hamilton, D. J.; Nohr, R. S.; Wilkinson, G. J. Chem. Soc., Dalton Trans. 1977, 1546. (f) Cole- Hamilton, D. J.; Wilkinson, G. Nouv. J. Chim. 1977, 1, 142. (g) Gill, D. F.; Shaw, B. L. Inorg. Chim. Acta 1979, 33, 19. (h) Morton, D.; Cole-Hamilton, D. J.; Utuk, I. D.; Paneque-Sosa, M. J. Chem. Soc., Dalton Trans. 1989, 489. (i) Portnoy, M.; Frolow, F.; Milstein, D. Organometallics 1991, 10, 3960.] To elucidate the role of methanol in the formations of these carbonyl hydrido complexes, the reaction between the [RuII(PPh3)3Cl2] and MeQH was also carried out in ethanol. The major product was then characterized to be the carbonyl methyl complex [RuII(MeQ)(PPh3)2(CO)(CH3)] (4), which is an air-stable and diamagnetic. This reaction is similar to the formation of corresponding carbonyl methyl complex [TpRuII(CH3)(CO)(PPh3)] from the reaction of [(Tp)RuIICl(PPh3)(CH3CN)] (Tp = hydrotris(pyrazolyl)borate) with NaBH4 in EtOH.[ Chen, Y.-Z.; Chan, W. C.; Lau, C. P.; Chu, H. S.; Lee, H. L. Organometallics 1997, 16, 1241.] When the reaction of [RuII(PPh3)3Cl2] with MeQH was carried out in nPrOH, it also produces the ethyl carbonyl complex [RuII(MeQ)(PPh3)2(CO)(CH2CH3)]. However, the ethyl carbonyl complex is unstable in solution, presumably, due to spontaneous β-H elimination of Ru-CH2CH3 to form an alkene complex. On the other hand, when the reaction was carried out in PhCH2OH, it produced exclusively [RuII(MeQ)(PPh3)2(CO)(H)] (1) rather than [RuII(MeQ)(PPh3)2(CO)(Ph)]. |