(Benzene)ruthenium dichloride dimer

(Benzene)ruthenium dichloride dimer is the organoruthenium compound with the formula [(C₆H₆)RuCl₂]₂. This red-coloured, diamagnetic solid is a reagent in organometallic chemistry and homogeneous catalysis.

Preparation, structure, and reactions

The dimer is prepared by the reaction of cyclohexadienes with hydrated ruthenium trichloride.^[1] As verified by X-ray crystallography, each Ru center is coordinated to three chloride ligands and a η⁶-benzene.^[2] The complex can be viewed as an edge-shared bioctahedral structure.

(Benzene)ruthenium dichloride dimer reacts with Lewis bases to give monometallic adducts:

[(C₆H₆)RuCl₂]₂ + 2 PPh3 → 2 (C₆H₆)RuCl₂(PPh₃)

Related compounds

(cymene)ruthenium dichloride dimer, a more soluble analogue of (benzene)ruthenium dichloride dimer.
(mesitylene)ruthenium dichloride dimer, another more soluble derivative.^[3]

References

^ Bennett, M. A.; Huang, T. N.; Matheson, T. W.; Smith, A. K. (1982). "16. (η ⁶ -Hexamethylbenzene)Ruthenium Complexes". (η⁶-Hexamethylbenzene)ruthenium Complexes. Inorganic Syntheses. Vol. 21. pp. 74–78. doi:10.1002/9780470132524.ch16. ISBN 9780471865209.
^ J. Canivet; B. Therrien; G. Suss-Fink (2005). "Di-μ-chlorobis[(η⁶-benzene) chlororuthenium(II)] Chloroform Disolvate". Acta Crystallographica Section E. 61 (6): m1090. doi:10.1107/S1600536805014157. S2CID 62686720.
^ Carole, William A.; Colacot, Thomas J. (2011). "Dichloro(mesitylene)ruthenium Dimer". Encyclopedia of Reagents for Organic Synthesis. doi:10.1002/047084289X.rn01290. ISBN 978-0471936237.