Synthesis and characterization of bis(2-aminophenyl)disulphide diimine derivatives and their ruthenium complexes

Condensation of bis(2-aminophenyl)disulphide with aromatic aldehydes yielded the corresponding dithiophenyldiimines. Dinuclear ruthenium complexes were obtained by reacting the diimines (3) [bis(3-nitrobenzaldehyde)-phenyldisulphide diimine], (5) [bis(2-chlorobenzaldehyde)-phenyldisulphide diimine], (8) [bis(2-methoxybenzaldehyde)-phenyldisulphide diimine] and (9) [bis(2-hydroxybenzaldehyde)-phenyldisulphide diimine], with RuCl₃ in the presence of L (L=2,2-bipyridine, 1,10-phenanthroline, 3,4-diaminotoluene, pyridine and PPh₃) in EtOH. The two metal centres, connected through bridging chlorides, are in octahedral environments with one metal centre coordinated to sulphur and water while the other is coordinated to L.