Reaction of Ru3(CO)12 with 1,3-diferrocenylprop-2-ene-1-one. Crystal and molecular structures of the complexes Ru3(CO)8(FcC=CHCOFc)2 and [Ru(CO)2Cl(FcC=CHCOFc)]2

The reaction of Ru3(CO)12 with 1,3-diferrocenylprop-2-en-1-one,trans-FcCH=CHCOFc (where Fc is ferrocenyl), in boiling hexane afforded the complex[graphic not available: see fulltext] (2c), which was converted into[graphic not available: see fulltext] (3c) upon further heating. These complexes gave the complex[graphic not available: see fulltext] (4) containing two Cl-bridged oxaruthenacycles upon dissolution in CHCl3 or CH2Cl2. The structures of complexes 3 and 4 were established by X-ray diffraction analysis. According to the data of1H NMR spectroscopy, the Cl-bridged complex exists in solutions as a mixture of isomers along with the monomeric form resulting from the cleavage of the halide bridges. All interconversions of the isomers occur with the participation of the monomeric form.