Nucleophilic substitution reactions at the Si-Cl bonds of the dichloro(methyl)silyl ligand in five- and six-coordinate complexes of ruthenium(II) and osmium(II)

Treatment of either RuHCl(CO)(PPh₃)₃ or MPhCl(CO)(PPh₃)₂ with HSiMeCl₂ produces the five-coordinate dichloro(methyl)silyl complexes, M(SiMeCl₂)Cl(CO)(PPh₃)₂ (1a, M = Ru; 1b, M = Os). 1a and 1b react readily with hydroxide ions and with ethanol to give M(SiMeOH]₂)Cl(CO)(PPh₃)₂ (2a, M = Ru; 2b, M = Os) and M(SiMeOEt]₂)Cl(CO)(PPh₃)₂ (3a, M = Ru; 3b, M = Os), respectively. 3b adds CO to form the six-coordinate complex, Os(SiMeOEt]₂)Cl(CO)₂(PPh₃)₂ (4b) and crystal structure determinations of 3b and 4b reveal very different Os-Si distances in the five-coordinate complex (2.3196(11) Å) and in the six-coordinate complex (2.4901(8) Å). Reaction between 1a and 1b and 8-aminoquinoline results in displacement of a triphenylphosphine ligand and formation of the six-coordinate chelate complexes M(SiMeCl₂)Cl(CO)(PPh₃)(κ²(N,N)-NC₉H₆NH₂-8) (5a, M = Ru; 5b, M = Os), respectively. Crystal structure determination of 5a reveals that the amino function of the chelating 8-aminoquinoline ligand is located adjacent to the reactive Si-Cl bonds of the dichloro(methyl)silyl ligand but no reaction between these functions is observed. However, 5a and 5b react readily with ethanol to give ultimately M(SiMeOEt]₂)Cl(CO)(PPh₃)(κ²(N,N-NC₉H₆NH₂-8) (6a, M = Ru; 6b, M = Os). In the case of ruthenium only, the intermediate ethanolysis product Ru(SiMeClOEt])Cl(CO)(PPh₃)(κ²(N,N-NC₉H₆NH₂-8) (6c) was also isolated. The crystal structure of 6c was determined. Reaction between 1b and excess 2-aminopyridine results in condensation between the Si-Cl bonds and the N-H bonds with formation of a novel tridentate “NSiN” ligand in the complex Os(κ³(Si,N,N)-SiMeNH(2-C₅H₄N)]₂)Cl(CO)(PPh₃) (7b). Crystal structure determination of 7b shows that the “NSiN” ligand coordinates to osmium with a “facial” arrangement and with chloride trans to the silyl ligand.