Reactivity of RuCl(2)(CO)(P(t)()Bu(2)Me)(2) toward H(2) and Brønsted Acids: Aggregation Triggered by Protonation and Phosphine Loss.

Reaction of H(2) with RuCl(2)(CO)L(2) (L = P(t)()Bu(2)Me) in benzene forms RuHCl(CO)L(2) and HCl. The latter reacts with RuCl(2)(CO)L(2) to give [LH][Ru(2)Cl(5)(CO)(2)L(2)] and [LH]Cl. The Ru(2)Cl(5)(CO)(2)L(2)(-) ion is detected (NMR) as several isomers, and is shown by X-ray diffraction to have a face-shared bioctahedral structure: LCl(OC)Ru(&mgr;-Cl)(3)Ru(CO)ClL(-). The loss of phosphine from Ru(II) is triggered by electrophilic attack, but not directly on P or on the Ru-P bond. It is shown (low-temperature NMR studies) that HCl reacts with RuHCl(CO)L(2) to give initially RuCl(2)(H(2))(CO)L(2), in which H(2) is trans to Cl. From this study, and also direct observation of the reaction of HCl with RuCl(2)(CO)L(2) to produce Ru(2)Cl(5)(CO)(2)L(2)(-), the Brønsted basicity of chloride in RuCl(2)(CO)L(2) is established. This accounts for its reaction with PhC(2)H and NEt(3) to give Ru(C(2)Ph)Cl(CO)L(2). Crystallographic data (-173 degrees C) for [P(t)()Bu(2)MeH][Ru(2)Cl(5)(CO)(2)(P(t)()Bu(2)Me)(2)]: a = 16.418(2)Å, b = 12.578(2)Å, c = 20.044(3)Å, beta = 103.38(1) degrees with Z = 4 in space group P2(1)/a.