Ligand-assisted O-dealkylation of bis(bipyridyl) ruthenium(II) phosphine-ether complexes

The preparation and characterization of three [Ru(bpy)(2)(POR-P,O)](PF6)(2) complexes are reported where POR = 2-methoxyphenyldiphenylphosphine in 1, 2-ethoxyphenyldiphenylphosphine in 2 and 2-methoxyethyldiphenylphosphine in 3. Complexes 1 and 2 undergo ligand-assisted O-dealkylation by the same we akly basic phosphines, a reaction typically observed for complexes containi ng highly basic phosphines with multiple ether substituents. The electron d eficiency of the Ru(II) centre in these complexes is likely responsible for how readily they are dealkylated to yield the aryloxide complexes. Complex 3 is not susceptible to ligand-assisted dealkylation, primarily because th e lower steric demand of its phosphine-ether ligand permits the thermodynam ically favoured direct attack of phosphines at the Ru centre.