Symmetric and unsymmetric "dumbbells" of Ru2-alkynyl units via C-C bond formation reactions

Oxidative homocoupling (Glaser) reaction of Ru2 compounds bearing peripheral ethyne resulted in symmetric dimers. Cross-coupling (Sonogashira) reaction between Ru2 compounds bearing peripheral iodo and ethyne groups yielded an unsymmetric dimer. Voltammetric data indicated that Ru2 units in the symmetric dimers are noninteracting, and the unsymmetric dimer is best described as a weakly coupled push-pull compound.