Sterically driven synthesis of ruthenium and ruthenium–silver N-heterocyclic carbene complexes†
Abstract
A straightforward and efficient synthetic route to novel Ru N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) complexes by transmetallation of non-bulky silver NHC to ruthenium dicarbonyl tetraarylcyclopentadienone is described. The same procedure with sterically demanding NHC leads to unprecedented heterobimetallic Ru–Ag(NHC) complexes.