Oligomerisation of alkynes at a diruthenium centre

Abstract

The RuRu double-bonded µ-alkyne complexes [Ru₂(µ-CO)(µ-RC₂R)(η-C₅H₅)₂](R = Ph or CF₃) react in heptane or xylene at reflux with alkynes R′CCR′(R′= CO₂Me or CF₃) to link up to four molecules of alkyne; the structures of the complexes [Ru₂(CO){µ-C₄(CF₃)₄}(η-C₅H₅)₂](two isomers) and [Ru₂{µ-C₈(CF₃)₂(CO₂Me)₆}(η-C₅H₅)₂], which contains a C₆ ring with a C₂‘tail’, have been established by X-ray diffraction.