Ruthenium(II) complexes with ferrocene-modified arene ligands: synthesis and electrochemistry

A series of arene–ruthenium complexes of the general formula [RuCl₂{η⁶-C₆H₅ (CH₂)₂R}L] with R=OH, CH₂OH, OC(O)Fc, CH₂OC(O)Fc (Fc=ferrocenyl) and L=PPh₃, (diphenylphosphino)ferrocene, or bridging 1,1′-bis(diphenylphosphino)ferrocene, have been synthesized. Two synthetic pathways have been used for these ferrocene-modified arene–ruthenium complexes: (a) esterification of ferrocene carboxylic acid with 2-(cyclohexa-1,4-dienyl)ethanol, followed by condensation with RuCl₃ • <i>n</i>H₂O to afford [RuCl₂{η⁶-C₆H₅ (CH₂)₂OC(O)Fc}]₂, and (b) esterification between ferrocene carboxylic acid and [RuCl₂{η⁶-C₆H₅ (CH₂)₃OH}L] to give [RuCl₂{η⁶-C₆H₅ (CH₂)₃OC(O)Fc}L]. All new compounds have been characterized by NMR and IR spectroscopy as well as by mass spectrometry. The single-crystal X-ray structure analysis of [RuCl₂{η⁶-C₆H₅ (CH₂)₃OH}(PPh₃)] shows that the presence of a CH₂CH₂CH₂OH side-arm allows [RuCl₂{η⁶-C₆H₅ (CH₂)₃OH}(PPh₃)] to form an intramolecular hydrogen bond with a chlorine atom. The electrochemical behavior of selected representative compounds has been studied. Complexes with ferrocenylated side arms display the expected cyclic voltammograms, two <i>independent</i> reversible one-electron waves of the Ru(II)/Ru(III) and Fe(II)/Fe(III) redox couples. Introduction of a ferrocenylphosphine onto the ruthenium is reflected by an additonal reversible, one-electron wave due to ferrocene/ferrocenium system which is, however, coupled with the Ru(II)/Ru(III) redox system.