Facile O-H bond activation in alcohols by [Cp*RuCl((I)Pr2PSX)] (X = pyridyl, quinolyl): a route to ruthenium(IV) hydrido(alkoxo) derivatives

The complexes Cp*RuCl((i)Pr(2)PSX)] (X = pyridyl, quinolyl) react directly with alcohols ROH (R = Me, Et, (i)Pr, (n)Pr) and NaBPh(4), affording the novel cationic hydrido(alkoxo) derivatives Cp*RuH(OR)((i)Pr(2)PSX)]BPh(4)]. These ruthenium(IV) compounds result from the formal oxidative addition of the alcohol to the 16-electron fragment {Cp*Ru((i)Pr(2)PSX)](+)}, generated in situ upon chloride dissociation. The hydrido(alkoxo) complexes are reversibly deprotonated by a strong base such as KOBu(t), yielding the neutral alkoxides Cp*Ru(OR)((i)Pr(2)PSX)], which are remarkably stable toward β elimination and do not generate the corresponding hydrides. The hydrido(alkoxo) complexes undergo a slow electron-transfer process, releasing H(2) and generating the dinuclear ruthenium(III) complex {Cp*Ru(κ(2)-N,S-μ S-SC(5)H(4)N)}(2)]BPh(4)](2). In this species, the Ru-Ru separation is very short and consistent with what is expected for a Ru≡Ru triple bond.