title: A new class of electron-rich unsaturated molecules: Ru2HnX4-n(PiPr3)4, X = anion.
abstract: Synthesis, spectroscopic, and X-ray structural characterization of Ru2HnCl4-nL4 (n = 2, 3) and Ru2H2F2L4 (L = PiPr3) are reported. The structure of Ru2HCl3L4 is also reported. These are dinuclear species containing two five-coordinate, approximately square-pyramidal metal atoms. Halides, not hydrides, preferentially occupy bridging sites, and the RuXL2 terminal moiety shows limited fluxionality, but hydrides do not migrate between metals. The limited steric protection provided by PiPr3 is evident from the dimerization observed and from the fact that all these structures have rather small [symbol: see text]P-Ru-P (approximately 105 degrees). Also reported are RuHXL2 species with X = acetylacetonate, phenoxide, O3SCH3, and O3SCF3. Several examples of coordinated olefin to complexed carbene conversions are used to test the influence of anion X on reactivity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Molecular Structure Center, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana 47405-7102, USA.
authors.forename: J N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Coalter
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Huffman
authors.forename: W E
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: Streib
authors.forename: K G
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Caulton