(2,6‐Bis{1‐[4‐(dimethylamino)phenylimino]ethyl}pyridine)dichlorido(triphenylphosphine‐κP)ruthenium(II): a zigzag chain of fused centrosymmetric R22(12) rings

The title compound, RuCl₂(C₂₅H₂₉N₅)(C₁₈H₁₅P)], a transfer hydrogenation catalyst, is supported by an N,N′,N′′‐tridentate pyridine‐bridged ligand and triphenylphosphine. The Ru^II centre is six‐coordinated in a distorted octahedral arrangement, with the two Cl atoms located in the axial positions, and the pyridine (py) N atom, the two imino N atoms and the triphenylphosphine P atom located in the equatorial plane. The two equatorial Ru—N_imino distances (mean 2.093 Å) are substantially longer than the equatorial Ru—N_py bond 1.954 (4) Å]. It is observed that the N_imino—M—N_py bond angle for the five‐membered chelate rings of 2,6‐bis(imino)pyridine‐based complexes is inversely related to the magnitude of the M—N_py bond. The title structure is stabilized by intra‐ and intermolecular C—H...Cl hydrogen bonds, as well as by intramolecular π–π stacking interactions between the aromatic rings belonging to the triphenylphosphine ligand and the dimethylaminophenyl fragment. The intermolecular hydrogen bonds form an R₂²(12) ring and a zigzag chain of fused centrosymmetric rings running parallel to the 100] direction.