Backbone Modified Small Bite-Angle Diphosphines: Synthesis, Structure, Fluxionality and Regioselective Thermally-Induced Transformations of Ru3(CO)10{µ-Ph2PCH(Me)PPh2}

[μ2-Bis(di-phenyl-phosphan-yl)hexa-ne]bis-[undeca-carbonyl-triangulo-triruthenium(3 Ru-Ru)] hexane monosolvate: crystal structure and Hirshfeld surface analysis

In the title cluster complex hexane solvate, [Ru6(C30H32P2)(CO)22]·C6H14, two Ru3(CO)11 fragments are linked by a Ph2P(CH2)6PPh2 bridge with the P atoms equatorially disposed with respect to the Ru3 triangle in each case; the hexane solvent mol-ecule is statistically disordered. The Ru⋯Ru distances span a relatively narrow range, i.e. 2.8378 (4) to 2.8644 (4) Å. The hexyl chain within the bridge has an all-trans conformation. In the mol-ecular packing, C-H⋯O inter-actions between cluster mol-ecules, and between cluster and hexane solvent mol-ecules lead to a three-dimensional architecture. In addition, there are a large number of C≡O⋯π(arene) inter-actions in the crystal. The importance of the carbonyl groups in establishing the packing is emphasized by the contribution of 53.4% to the Hirshfeld surface by O⋯H/H⋯O contacts.

Catalytic applications of small bite-angle diphosphorus ligands with single-atom linkers

Diphosphorus ligands connected by a single atom (R₂PEPR₂; E = CR₂, CCR₂and NR) give chelating ligands with very small bite-angles as well as enable access to other properties such as bridging modes and hemilability. ThisPerspectivereviews the properties of diphosphorus ligands featuring a single-atom linker and their applications in catalysis, including transformations of alkenes and transfer hydrogenation and hydrogen-borrowing reactions.