3 REACTIONS OF RU-2(5-RU BOND() COMPOUNDS OF THE PADDLEWHEEL TYPE THAT LEAD TO CLEAVAGE OF THE RU)

Three reactions leading to the cleavage of the metal-metal bond in Ru- 2(5+) complexes are described. The reaction of [Ru-2(O2CMe)(4)-(thf)(2 )] [BF4] with CN-C6H11 leads to the formation of [Ru(CN-C6H11)(6)] [BF 4](2) (1), reacting the same Ru-2 compound with [N-nBu(4)]- [SCN] lead s to the isolation of [N-nBu(4)](3)[Ru(NCS)(6)] (2), and the reaction between [Ru-2(chp)(4)(thf)][CF3SO3] and PMe3, leads to the isolation o f [Ru(O,N-chp) (PMe3)(4)] [CF3SO3] (3). Products 1 and 3 were structur ally characterized and have the following crystallographic parameters: crystals of 1 are triclinic, space group <P(1)over bar> (No. 2), with a=9.649(1), b=10.547(2), c=12.778(2) Angstrom, alpha=109.55(3), beta= 102.716(9), gamma=98.74(2)degrees, Z=1; those of 3 are orthorhombic, s pace group P2(1)2(1)2(1) (No. 19) with a=9.790(2), b=10.134(4), c=29.7 22(4) Angstrom, Z=4. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserve d.