Ruthenium carbene complexes containing bidentate and tridentate P O ligands

Treatment of [Ru( CHR)Cl2(PCy3)2] (Cy = cyclohexyl) with Tl[N(Pr2iPO)2] and AgLOEt (LOEt− = [CpCo{P(O)(OEt)2}3]−) afforded the Ru carbene complexes [Ru( CHPh)(PCy3)Cl{N(Pr2iPO)2}] (1) and [LOEtRu( CHR)(PCy3)Cl] (2), respectively. Chloride abstraction of complex 2 with TlPF6 in MeCN afforded [LOEtRu( CHPh)(PCy3)(MeCN)][PF6] (3). Complexes 1 and 2 are capable of catalyzing ring-closing metathesis of diethyl 1,2-diallylmalonate. The crystal structure of complex 2 has been determined.