title: Intramolecular metathesis of a vinyl group with vinylidene C=C double bond in Ru complexes.
abstract: The cationic complex {[Ru]=C=CHCPh2CH2CH=CH2}BF4 (3a, [Ru] = (eta5-C5H5)(PPh3)2Ru) in solution transforms to {[Ru]=C=CHCH2CPh2CH=CH2}BF4 (4a) via a new metathesis process of the terminal vinyl group with the C=C of the vinylidene group which is confirmed by 13C labeling studies. This transformation is irreversible as revealed by deuteration and decomplexation studies. The cationic complex {[Ru]=C=CHCPh2CH2CMe=CH2}BF4 (3b) undergoes a cyclization process yielding 6b containing a eta2-cyclic allene ligand which is fully characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. Analogous complexes 4a' and 6b' ([Ru] = (eta5-C5H5)(dppe)Ru) containing dppe ligands were similarly obtained from protonation of the corresponding acetylide complexes via formation of vinylidene intermediate. Protonation of the acetylide complex containing a terminal alkynyl group [Ru]-CCCPh2CH2CCH (2c) generates the vinylidene complex {[Ru]=C=CHCPh2CH2CCH}BF4 (3c) which again undergoes an irreversible transformation to give {[Ru]=C=CHCH2CPh2CCH}BF4 (4c) possibly via a pi-coordinated alkynyl complex followed by hydrogen and metal migration. No similar transformation is observed for the analogous dppe complex 3c'. With an extra methylene group, complex {[Ru]=C=CHCPh2CH2CH2CH=CH2}BF4 (3d) and complex {[Ru]=C=CHCPh2CH2Ph}BF4 (3e) are stable. The presence of a gem-diphenylmethylene moiety at the vinylidene ligand with the appropriate terminal vinyl or alkynyl group along with the correct steric environment implements such a novel reactivity in the ruthenium vinylidene complexes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan 106, Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yung-Sheng
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Yen
authors.forename: Ying-Chih
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Shou-Ling
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Yi-Hung
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Hui-Ling
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Sung
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang