Ruthenium indenylidene complexes containing dichalcogenoimidodiphosphinate ligands

Reactions of ruthenium indenylidene starting material [Ru(PPh3)2(Ind)Cl2] (Ind = 3-phenylinden-1-ylidene) with potassium dichalcogenoimidodiphosphinates K[R2P(E)NP(E′)R2] afforded a series of complexes [Ru(PPh3)(Ind){кE,кE′-R2P(E)NP(E′)R2}Cl] [R = Ph, E = E′ = S (1a); R = Ph, E = E′ = Se (1b); R = iPr, E = E′ = S (1c); R = iPr, E = E′ = Se (1d); R = Ph, E = S, E′ = Se (1e); R = iPr, E = S, E′ = Se (1f)] which were characterized by microanalyses, IR and NMR spectroscopies. The molecular structure of 1a has been confirmed by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The catalytic reactivity of the ruthenium indenylidene complexes in the ring closing metathesis of diethyl 1,2-diallylmalonate has also been investigated.