Ruthenium complexes of thiocinnamaldehydes: synthesis, structure, and [4+2]-cycloaddition reactions

Ruthenium hydrogensulfido complexes CpRu(P-P)(SH)] ((P-P)=Ph(2)PCH(2)PPh(2) (dppm), Ph(2)PC(2)H(4)PPh(2) (dppe)) were obtained from the corresponding chloro complexes by Cl/SH exchange. Condensation with a range of cinnamaldehydes gave thiocinnamaldehyde complexes CpRu(P-P)(S=CH-CR(2)=CHR(1))]PF(6) (R(1)=C(6)H(4)X, R(2)=H, Me, X=H, OMe, NMe(2), Cl, NO(2)) as highly-colored crystalline compounds. The thiocinnamaldehyde complexes undergo 4+2]-cycloaddition reactions with vinyl ethers CH(2)=CHOR(3) (R(3)=Et, Bu) and styrenes H(2)C=CHC(6)H(4)Y (Y=H, Me, OMe, Cl, Br, NO(2)) to give complexes of 2,4,5-trisubstituted 3,4-dihydro-2H-thiopyrans as mixtures of two diastereoisomers. The rate of addition of para-substituted styrenes H(2)C=CHC(6)H(4)Y to CpRu(dppm)(S=CH-CH=CHPh)]PF(6) increases in the series Y=NO(2), Br, Cl, H, Me, OMe, indicating that the cycloaddition is dominated by the HOMO(dienophile)-LUMO(diene) interaction. The strained dienophiles norbornadiene and norbornene also add, giving ruthenium complexes of 3-thia-tricyclo6.2.1.0(2,7)]undeca-4,9-dienes and 3-thia-tricyclo6.2.1.0(2,7)]undec-4-enes, respectively. Addition reactions with acrolein, methacrolein, methyl vinyl ketone, acrylic ester, or ethyl propiolate finally yielded ruthenium complexes of 3,4-disubstituted 3,4-dihydro-2H-thiopyrans and 4H-thiopyrans, respectively.