Crystal structure of cis,fac-{N,N-bis[(pyridin-2-yl)methyl]methylamine-kappa 3N,N ',N ''}dichlorido(dimethyl sulfoxide-kappa S)ruthenium(II)

The reaction of dichloridotetrakis(dimethyl sulfoxide) ruthenium(II) with N,N-bis[(pyridin-2-yl)methyl]methylamine affords the title complex, [RuCl2(C13H15N3)(C2H6OS)]. The asymmetric unit contains a well-ordered complex molecule. The N,N-bis[(pyridin-2-yl)methyl]methylamine (bpma) ligand binds the cation through its two pyridyl N atoms and one aliphatic N atom in a facial manner. The coordination sphere of the low-spin d(6) Ru-II is distorted octahedral. The dimethyl sulfoxide (dmso) ligand coordinates to the cation through its S atom and is cis to the aliphatic N atom. The two chloride ligands occupy the remaining sites. The bpma ligand is folded with the dihedral angle between the mean planes passing through its two pyridine rings being 64.55 (8)degrees. The two N-Ru-N bite angles of the ligand at 81.70 (7) and 82.34 (8)degrees illustrate the distorted octahedral coordination geometry of the Ru-II cation. Two neighboring molecules are weakly associated through mutual intermolecular hydrogen bonding involving the O atom and one of the methyl groups of the dmso ligand. One of the chloride ligands is also weakly hydrogen bonded to a pyridyl H atom of another molecule.