Triruthenium clusters containing mono and bidentate phosphines: Synthesis,structure, thermal reactivity and fluxional behavior

The syntheses, structures and thermal reactions of Ru₃(CO)₉{P(C₄H₃E)₃}(μ-dppe)] (2, E = S; 3, E = O; dppe = 1,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)ethane) are described. These triphosphine-substituted clusters can be easily obtained in high yield from the Me₃NO initiated room temperature reaction between Ru₃(CO)₁₀(μ-dppe)] (1) and P(C₄H₃E)₃. Both clusters have been structurally characterized which reveals that the functionalized phosphine P(C₄H₃E)₃ is coordinated to the remote ruthenium atom using the phosphorus atom, while the NMR spectroscopic data indicate that both clusters are fluxional in solution mainly due to the ring-flipping process involving the dppe ligand which has been probed by VT NMR spectroscopy. Thermolysis of 2 at 66 °C affords 1 via P(C₄H₃S)₃ dissociation, whilst that of 3 under similar experimental conditions also furnishes the diruthenium σ,π-furyl complex Ru₂(CO)₆(μ,η²-C₄H₃O){μ-P(C₄H₃O)₂] (4) in addition to 1.