Methylation of a nitrosylruthenium complex bearing a hydridotris(pyrazolyl)borate ligand

Reaction of [TpRuCl2(NO)] (1) (Tp = HB(pyrazol-1-yl)3) with dimethylzinc, Zn(Me)2, gave rise to a dimethyl complex [TpRu(Me)2(NO)] (2) and a monomethyl complex [TpRuCl(Me)(NO)] (3) in good yields, while the use of a Grignard reagent, MeMgCl, as the alkylating agents led to isolation of 2 in low yield. Complexes 2 and 3 were confirmed by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analyses. Treatment of 2 with triflic acid, CF3SO3H, afforded a triflato complex [TpRu(Me){OS(O)2CF3}(NO)] (4).