Reactions of a diruthenium complex with sulfur, selenium and sulfur dioxide

Abstract

Reaction of the complex [Ru₂(CO)₄(µ-CO)(µ-dppm)₂] 1 (dppm = Ph₂PCH₂PPh₂) with sulfur or selenium gave the corresponding [Ru₂(CO)₄(µ-E)(µ-dppm)₂] (E = 2 or 3) in high yield. Both 2 and 3 reacted with an excess of sulfur to give the disulfido, µ-sulfido complex [Ru₂(CO)₂(µ-CO)(µ-S)(S₂)(µ-dppm)₂] 4. Complex 1 reacted readily with SO₂ to give [Ru₂(CO)₄(µ-SO₂)(µ-dppm)₂] 5, containing a bridging S-bonded SO₂ ligand. The complexes 1, 4 and 5 have been characterized by crystal structure determinations and are shown to contain Ru–Ru single bonds.