Novel heterobimetallic ruthenium(III)-cobalt(II) compounds constructed from trans-[Ru(III)(Q)2(CN)2](-) (Q = 8-quinolinolato): synthesis, structures and magnetic properties.

Reaction of [Ru(II)(PPh(3))(3)Cl(2)] with HQ and KCN produces a new dicyanoruthenium(III) building block, [Ru(III)(Q)(2)(CN)(2)](-). It reacts with hydrated CoCl(2) in MeOH or DMF to produce a trinuclear compound 2 or a 1-D zigzag chain 3.