Synthesis and characterization of (3,1) Ru2(F3ap)4(NCS) and (3,1) Ru2(F3ap)3(F2Oap)(NCS) where F3ap is the 2-(2,4,6-trifluoroanilino)pyridinate anion.

Two isothiocyanate diruthenium complexes, (3,1) Ru2(F3ap)4(NCS) 1 and (3,1) Ru2(F3ap)3(F2Oap)(NCS)2 (where F3ap=2,4,6-trifluoroanilinopyridinate anion), were synthesized from (3,1) Ru2(F3ap)4Cl and SCN(-) under different experimental conditions. Each compound was examined as to its structural, electrochemical, spectroscopic, and magnetic properties. Compound 1 contains three unpaired electrons as its parent compound but 2 is diamagnetic. The X-ray molecular structures of 1 and 2 reveal that the NCS group is coordinated to the dimetal unit via nitrogen in both compounds with the Ru-N-C bond angle being 176.5 degrees for 1 and 166.0 degrees for 2. An elongation of the Ru-Ru bond distance and a shortening of both the Ru-Np (p=pyridyl) and the Ru-Na (a=anilino) bond lengths is seen upon going from (3,1) Ru2(F3ap)4Cl to 2, but the conversion of (3,1) Ru2(F3ap)4Cl to 1 does not affect significantly structural features of the Ru2(L) 4 framework. Compound 1 undergoes one reduction and two oxidations, all three of which involve the dimetal core, whereas 2 undergoes two metal-centered reductions, one metal-centered oxidation, and one ligand-based oxidation due to the presence of the F2Oap ligand on the Ru2 complex. The reactivity of 1 with SCN(-) was also investigated.