Photochemistry of [Ru3(CO)12] with nitrogen heterocycles

Abstract

The photochemistry of [M ₃ (CO) ₁₂ ] (M = Ru 1a or Os 1b) with nitrogen heterocycles has been studied. In all cases photolysis leads to photosubstitution products, the heterocycles inhibiting the photofragmentation pathway. With pyridine (py) 1a formed the orthometallated complex [Ru ₃ H(CO) ₁₀ (C ₅ H ₄ N)] 2a. With osmium, the simple substitution product [Os ₃ (CO) ₁₁ (py)] 3b can be isolated. With 2-methylpyridine (mpy) [Ru ₃ H(CO) ₁₀ (2-MeC ₅ H ₃ N)] 5a and [Os ₃ (CO) ₁₁ (mpy)] 6b were formed from 1a and 1b respectively. With 2,6-dimethylpyridine no net photoreaction was observed. Photolysis of 1a and 1b with 2,2′-bipyridine led to the formation of [M ₃ (CO) ₁₀ (bipy)] (M = Ru 7a and Os 7b). The molecular structure of 7b has been obtained by single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies. Photolysis of 1a and 1b with pyridazine (pydz) led to the substituted products [M ₃ (CO) ₁₀ (pydz)] (M = Ru 8a or Os 8b).