Trimethylenemethane complexes of ruthenium, osmium and rhodium via the compound CH2C(CH2SnMe3)2

Abstract

The compounds CH₂C(CH₂SnMe₃)₂1 was readily made (61% yield) from K₂(tmm)(tmm = trimethylenemethane) and SnMe₃Cl. It serves as a new and efficient entry to tmm metal complexes. The arene complexes [{MCl₂(arene)}₂](M = Ru or Os) reacted with 1 to give allylmetal complexes [MCl{CH₂C(CH₂SnMe₃)CH₂}(arene)]2a–2e and sandwich-like compounds [M(tmm)(arene)]3a–3e(M = Ru, arene = C₆H₆a, C₆Me₆b, or p-MeC₆H₄CHMe₂c; M = Os, arene = C₆H₆d or p-MeC₆H₄CHMe₂e). The cymene complexes 3c and 3e can also be made using the combination CH₂C(CH₂Cl)₂–Mg–tetrahydrofuran as tmm source. Treatment of [{Rhl₂(C₅Me₅)}₂] with 1 produced [Rh(tmm)(C₅Me₅)] in high yield, and the carbonyl compounds [{MCl₂(CO)₃}₂](M = Ru or Os) afforded the tricarbonyl complexes [M(CO)₃(tmm)](M = Ru or Os) in good yields. X-Ray crystal structure determinations have been made for 2a, 3a and [Ru(CO)₃(tmm)]. The data for the last two show the tmm ligand to be more firmly bonded in the arene complex.