Reactions of 2-(arylazo)aniline with ruthenium substrates: Isolation, characterizations and reactivities of delocalized diazoketiminato and orthometallated Ru(II) chelates

Reactions of 2-(arylazo)aniline, HL-NH2 [H represents the dissociable protons upon complexation and HL-NH2 is p-RC6H4Ndouble bond; length as m-dashNC6H4-NH2; R = H for HL1-NH2; CH3 for HL2-NH2 and Cl for HL3-NH2] with Ru(H)(CO)(PPh3)3Cl and Ru(CO)3(PPh3)2 afforded products of compositions [(HL-NH)Ru(CO)Cl(PPh3)2] and [(L-NH)Ru(PPh3)2(CO)], respectively. All the complexes were characterized unequivocally. The X-ray structures of the complexes 4c and 5c have been determined. The cyclic volatammograms exhibited one reversible oxidative response in the range of 0.56–0.16 V versus SCE for [(L-NH)Ru(PPh3)2(CO)] and a quasi reversible oxidative response within 0.56–0.70 V versus SCE for [(HL-NH)Ru(CO)Cl(PPh3)2]. The conversion of ketones to corresponding alcohols has been studied in presence of newly synthesized ruthenium complexes.