Syntheses, characterisation and ligand substitution reactions of the useful synthons [Ru(OTf)2(P-P)2] (P-P=4-membered ring chelate diphosphine ligand)

Treatment of trans-[RuCl2(P-P)2] (P-P=4-membered chelate diphosphine) with 2 equiv. of AgOTf in 1,2-dichloroethane gave labile complexes formulated cis-[Ru(OTf)2(P-P)2], which readily undergo ligand substitution reactions with neutral or anionic ligands to give cis-[Ru(L)2(P-P)2]2+ or [RuX2(P-P)2]; these have been characterised by 31P{1H} and 1H NMR spectroscopy, FAB mass spectrometry and (in some cases) X-ray crystallography.