Synthesis of chiral-at-metal half-sandwich ruthenium(II) complexes with the CpH(PNMent) tripod ligand

Treatment of the chiral tripod ligand (L_Ment,S_C)-CpH(PN_Ment) with (Ph₃P)₃RuCl₂ in ethanol afforded the two chiral-at-metal diastereomers (L_Ment,S_C,R_Ru)- and (L_Ment,S_C,S_Ru)-[Cp(PN_Ment)Ru(PPh₃)Cl] (70% de) in which the cyclopentadienyl group and the P atom of the ligand coordinated at the metal center. The (L_Ment,S_C,R_Ru)-diastereomer was isolated by crystallization from ethanol-pentane and its structure was established by X-ray crystallography. The (L_Ment,S_C,R_Ru)-diastereomer epimerized in CDCl₃ solution at 60 °C in a first-order reaction with a half-life of 5.66 h. In alcoholic solution epimerization occurred at room temperature. Substitution of the chloride ligand in (L_Ment,S_C,R_Ru)- and (L_Ment,S_C,S_Ru)-[Cp(PN_Ment)Ru(PPh₃)Cl] by nitriles NCR (R = Me, Ph, CH₂Ph) in the presence of NH₄PF₆ gave mixtures of the diastereomers (L_Ment,S_C,R_Ru)- and (L_Ment,S_C,S_Ru)-[Cp(PN_Ment)Ru(PPh₃)NCR]PF₆. Treatment of (L_Ment,S_C,R_Ru)- and (L_Ment,S_C,S_Ru)-[Cp(PN_Ment)Ru(PPh₃)Cl] with piperidine or morpholine in the presence of NH₄PF₆ led to the chiral-at-metal diastereomers (L_Ment,S_C,R_Ru)- and (L_Ment,S_C,S_Ru)-[Cp(PN_Ment)Ru(PPh₃)NH₃]PF₆ (6% de).