The chemistry of compounds of the type Ru(eta(5)-C(5)Me(4)Et)(CO)(2)X (X=Cl,Br or I)

The title compounds react with unidentate ligands, L, containing either phosphorus or arsenic donor atoms to yield the corresponding compounds of the type Ru(eta(5)-C(5)Me(4)Et)(CO)LX; with didentate phosphorus donor ligands the major species formed is the bridged complex {Ru(eta(5)-C(5)Me(4)Et)(CO)X}(2){Ph(2)P(CH2)(n)PPh(2)} n = 1, X = Br; n = 2, X = Cl). In contrast, unidentate ligands containing nitrogen donor atoms such as pyridine did not react with Ru(eta(5)-C(5)Me(4)Et)(CO)(2)Cl although reaction with 1,10-phenanthroline or diethylenetriamine yielded the ionic products [Ru(eta(5)-C(5)Me(4)Et)(CO)L]Cl-+(-) (L = phen or (NH2CH2CH2)(2)NH). Reaction of Ru(eta(5)- C(5)Me(4)Et)(CO)(2)Br with AgOAc yielded the corresponding acetato complex Ru(eta(5)-C(5)Me(4)Et)(CO)(2)OAc. Ru(eta(5)-C(5)Me(4)Et)(CO)(2)X reacts with AgY (Y=BF4 or PF6) in either acetone or dichloromethane to give the useful solvent intermediates [Ru(eta(5)- C(5)Me(4)Et)(CO)(2)(solvent)]Y-+(-), which readily react with ligands L to yield ionic derivatives of the type [Ru(eta(5)-C(5)Me(4)Et)(CO)(2)L]Y-+(-) (where L = CO, NCMe, py, C2H4 or MeO(2)CCCCO(2)Me).