Co-ordination of benzyne at tetra- and pentra-ruthenium centres: a model for dissociative chemisorption of benzene on a stepped metal (111) surface

Abstract

Heating [Ru₃(CO)₁₁(PPh₃)] in toluene yields complexes [Ru₄(CO)₁₁(µ₄-η⁴-C₆H₄)] and [Ru₅(CO)₁₃(µ₄-PPh)(µ₅-η⁶-C₆H₄)], structurally identified by X-ray diffraction, in which benzyne is co-ordinated at tetra-and penta-ruthenium centres respectively; the latter provides a model for the dissociative chemisorption of benzene at a step site on a metal (111) surface.