Preparation and structural characterisation of some ruthenium cluster carbonyls containing allenylidene ligands

© Royal Society of Chemistry 2000The chemistry of some ruthenium cluster carbonyls containing allenylidene ligands has been reinvestigated. Treatment of Ru₃(μ-H){μ₃-C₂CAr₂(OH)}(CO)₉ [Ar = Ph 15, tol (tol = 4-MeC₆H₄)] with HBF₄•OMe₂ gave Ru₃(μ-H)(μ₃-CCCAr₂)(CO)₉ (Ar = Ph, R = H, Me; Ar = tol, R = H). Substitution of CO by PPh₃ or dppm gave Ru₃(μ-H)(μ₃-CCCPh₂)(μ-OH)(CO)₇(L)₂ (L = PPh₃, L₂ = dppm; from 15), while in the presence of HBF₄, the hydroxy-free complexes Ru₃(μ₃-CCCAr₂)(μ-dppm)(μ-CO)(CO)₇ were obtained. Reactions of 15 with K[BHBus ₃], followed by HBF₄ or AuCl(PPh₃), also resulted in loss of water to give Ru₃(μ-H)(μ-E)(μ₃-CCCPh₂)(CO) ₉ [E = H or Au(PPh₃), respectively]. X-Ray structures of six of the complexes are reported.Michael I. Bruce, Brian W. Skelton, Allan H. White and Natasha N. Zaitsev