Reversible chelation in azobenzene–ruthenium complexes; and a cationic ruthenium carbonyl–aryl complex

Abstract

Treatment of [(azb)Ru(CO)₂Cl]₂(azb = 2-phenylazophenyl) with polydentate ligands has given several complexes containing the 2C-phenylazophenyl group, some of which have been converted into compounds having the chelated 2CN-phenylazophenyl system: the first example of a cationic ruthenium carbonyl containing a metal–carbon σ-bond, [(azb)Ru(CO)₂(bipy)]⁺(bipy = 2,2′-bipyridyl), is also described.