New Dinuclear Ru2(CO)4 Sawhorse‐Type Complexes Containing Bridging Carboxylato Ligands

The thermal reaction of Ru₃(CO)₁₂ with ethacrynic acid, 4‐[bis(2‐chlorethyl)amino]benzenebutanoic acid (chlorambucil), or 4‐phenylbutyric acid in refluxing solvents, followed by addition of two‐electron donor ligands (L), gives the diruthenium complexes Ru₂(CO)₄(O₂CR)₂L₂ ( 1 : R = CH₂O‐C₆H₂Cl₂‐COC(CH₂)C₂H₅, L = C₅H₅N; 2 : R = CH₂O‐C₆H₂Cl₂‐COC(CH₂)C₂H₅, L = PPh₃; 3 : R = C₃H₆‐C₆H₄‐N(C₂H₄‐Cl)₂, L = C₅H₅N; 4 : R = C₃H₆‐C₆H₄‐N(C₂H₄‐Cl)₂, L = PPh₃; 5 : R = C₃H₆‐C₆H₅, L = C₅H₅N; 6 : R = C₃H₆‐C₆H₅, L = PPh₃). The single‐crystal structure analyses of 2 , 3 , 5 and 6 reveal a dinuclear Ru₂(CO)₄ sawhorse structure, the diruthenium backbone being bridged by the carboxylato ligands, while the two L ligands occupy the axial positions of the diruthenium unit.