Synthesis and characterization of trans-phenylethynylalkynyl adducts on a tetraanilinopyridinato-diruthenium(III) core

Treating Ru2(ap)4Cl with large excess of LiC2Ph led to the isolation of previously unidentified trans-Ru2(ap)4(C2Ph)2 (2a) where ap is 2-anilinopyridinate. Reactions between Ru2(ap)4(C2X) and LiC2Ph in excess yielded similar bis-alkynyl compounds trans-(PhC2)[Ru2(ap)4](C2X) (X=SiMe3, 2b, C2SiMe3, 2c). Also reported are electrochemical and spectroscopic characterizations of compounds 2a–c and X-ray structural analysis of compounds 2a and 2b.