Suzuki coupling at the periphery of diruthenium coordination and organometallic compounds

A series of diruthenium compounds, Ru2(DArF)3(L")Cl (2), where the auxiliary ligand DArF is DmAniF or D(3,5-Cl2Ph)F and L" is one of the diarylformamidinate ligands containing at least one biphenyl, were prepared from Suzuki reactions between Ru2(DArF)3(L')Cl (1), where L' is (4-I-Ph)NC(H)NPh (N-(4-iodophenyl)-N'-phenylformamidinate) or D(4-I-Ph)F (N,N'-di(4-iodophenyl)formamidinate), and ArB(OH)2 (Ar = Ph and 4-CH3C(O)Ph) in satisfactory yields. Alkynylation of the type 2 compounds with LiCCPh yielded the alkynyl derivatives Ru2(DArF)3(L")(CCPh) (3). Alternatively, type 3 compounds can be prepared from the Suzuki coupling reaction between Ru2(DArF)3(L')(C2Ph) and ArB(OH)2. A structural comparison between the type 1 and 2 compounds revealed minimal changes in the coordination sphere of Ru2 core. Cyclic voltammograms of Suzuki derivatives resemble those of the parent compounds, indicating the retention of the electrophore characteristic of diruthenium species upon peripheral modification.