Structure of [mu-S-2{Ru(PCy3)(' S-4 ')}(2)]center dot 2.5 THF center dot 0.5 Et2O containing homochiral metal complex fragments [' S-4 '(2-)=1,2-bis(mercaptophenylthio)-ethane (2-)]

A crystal of the title compound [mu-S-2{Ru(PCy3)('S-4')}(2)] . 2.5 THF . 0. 5 Et2O (1 . 2.5 THF . 0.5 Et2O), grown from a THF/Et2O solution, was invest igated by single-crystal X-ray analysis. 1 . 2.5 THF . 0.5 Et2O crystallize s in the triclinic space group P (1) over bar with a = 14.209(4), b = 15.39 0(4), c = 19.526(6) A, alpha = 111.29(2), beta = 100.43(2), gamma = 95.65(2 )degrees, and Z = 2. The crystal structure was solved by direct methods (wR (2) = 0.1520 for 12565 reflections; R-1 = 0.0507 for 9205 observed reflecti ons). The molecular structure of 2.5 . THF . 0.5 Et2O is characterized by a trans eta(1)-eta(1)-S-2 bridge connecting two homochiral [Ru(PCy3)('S-4')] fragments. The S-S bond length of 1.982(2) Angstrom and a mean Ru-S(bridge ) distance of 2.234(2) Angstrom indicate partial double bond character of t hese bonds. The RuSSRu unit in 1 . 2.5 THF . 0.5 Et2O is a chromophore as i ndicated by its UV spectrum and can be described by a delocalized 4c-6e pi system.