Synthesis, molecular structure, and C-C coupling reactions of carbeneruthenium(II) complexes with C5H5Ru(=CRR') and C5Me5Ru(=CRR') as molecular units.

The ethene derivatives [(eta(5)-C(5)R(5))RuX(C(2)H(4))(PPh(3))] with R=H and Me, which have been prepared from the eta(3)-allylic compounds [(eta(5)-C(5)R(5))Ru(eta(3)-2-MeC(3)H(4))(PPh(3))] (1, 2) and acids HX under an ethene atmosphere, are excellent starting materials for the synthesis of a series of new halfsandwich-type ruthenium(II) complexes. The olefinic ligand is replaced not only by CO and pyridine, but also by internal and terminal alkynes to give (for X=Cl) alkyne, vinylidene, and allene compounds of the general composition [(eta(5)-C(5)R(5))RuCl(L)(PPh(3))] with L=C(2)(CO(2)Me)(2), Me(3)SiC(2)CO(2)Et, C=CHCO(2)R, and C(3)H(4). The allenylidene complex [(eta(5)-C(5)H(5))RuCl(=C=C=CPh(2))(PPh(3))] is directly accessible from 1 (R=H) in two steps with the propargylic alcohol HC triple bond CC(OH)Ph(2) as the precursor. The reactions of the ethene derivatives [(eta(5)-C(5)H(5))RuX(C(2)H(4))(PPh(3))] (X=Cl, CF(3)CO(2)) with diazo compounds RR'CN(2) yield the corresponding carbene complexes [(eta(5)-C(5)R(5))RuX(=CRR')(PPh(3))], while with ethyl diazoacetate (for X=Cl) the diethyl maleate compound [(eta(5)-C(5)H(5))RuCleta(2)-Z-C(2)H(2)(CO(2)Et)(2)] is obtained. Halfsandwich-type ruthenium(II) complexes [(eta(5)-C(5)R(5))RuCl(=CHR')(PPh(3))] with secondary carbenes as ligands, as well as cationic species [(eta(5)-C(5)H(5))Ru(=CPh(2))(L)(PPh(3))]X with L=CO and CNtBu and X=AlCl(4) and PF(6), have also been prepared. The neutral compounds [(eta(5)-C(5)H(5))RuCl(=CRR')(PPh(3))] react with phenyllithium, methyllithium, and the vinyl Grignard reagent CH(2)=CHMgBr by displacement of the chloride and subsequent C-C coupling to generate halfsandwich-type ruthenium(II) complexes with eta(3)-benzyl, eta(3)-allyl, and substituted olefins as ligands. Protolytic cleavage of the metal-allylic bond in [(eta(5)-C(5)H(5))Ru(eta(3)-CH(2)CHCR(2))(PPh(3))] with acetic acid affords the corresponding olefins R(2)C=CHCH(3). The by-product of this process is the acetato derivative [(eta(5)-C(5)H(5))Ru(kappa(2)-O(2)CCH(3))(PPh(3))], which can be reconverted to the carbene complexes [(eta(5)-C(5)H(5))RuCl(=CR(2))(PPh(3))] in a one-pot reaction with R(2)CN(2) and Et(3)NHCl.