SYNTHESIS AND STRUCTURE OF A CHELATING ARENE-RUTHENIUM COMPLEX [RUCL2(PPH2(CH2)(3)-ETA(6)-C6H5)]

The synthesis of an arene-phosphine ligand, Ph2P(CH2)(3)Ph, has provid ed a route into a new chelating arene-phosphine-ruthenium complex, [Ru Cl2(PPh2(CH2)(3)-eta(6)-C6H5)] which has been structurally characteriz ed. This complex can be made by thermolysis of [(eta(6)-MeC6H4CHMe2)Ru Cl2(PPh2(CH2)(3)Ph)] or electrochemically utilizing the formation of t he labile seventeen-electron ruthenium(III) species [(eta(6)-MeC6H4CHM e2)RuCl2(PPh2(CH2)(3)Ph)](+) which can be converted in good yield into [RuCl2(PPh2(CH2)(3)-eta(6)-C6H5)]. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.