Trichlorobis(tri-p-tolylarsine)(methanol)ruthenium(III) and some of its reactions with nitrogen donor ligands

Abstract

The interaction of tri-p-tolylarsine with ruthenium trichloride trihydrate in acidified methanol under reflux gave a complex, RuCl₃(AsTol^P₃)₂(MeOH) (1). Complex 1 has been employed as a useful starting material for the preparation of other ruthenium(II) and (III) complexes. On treating complex 1 with excess of nitriles, complexes of the type RuCl₃(AsTol^P₃)₂(RCN) (R = CH₃, C₆H₅, C₆H₅CH₂) were obtained. Complex 1 gave RuCl₃(AsTol^P₃(Py)₂ and RuCl₂(Py)₄ respectively, on reaction with excess of pyridine in n-hexane and dichloromethane. The reactions of 2,2'-bipyridine and 1,10-phenanthroline (N---N) with complex 1 in dichloromethane resulted in the formation of RuCl₃(AsTol^P₃)(N---N). A five coordinate complex RuCl₃(AsTol^P₃)₂ was isolated from dichloromethane, chloroform or benzene solutions of complex 1. The dissolution of complex 1 in acetone gave a stable adduct RuCl₃(AsTol^P₃)₂(Me₂CO).