Synthesis of ruthenium acetylides: new building blocks for molecular electronics

Several ruthenium(II) mono(acetylides) trans-[Cl(dppe)2Ru(CC)nR] (n=1–4; R=SiMe3, H) and bis(acetylide) trans-[(dppe)2Ru((CC)2R)2] (R=SiMe3, H) were selectively obtained and could be used as a new set of building blocks for rigid rod-like structures and further assemblies. Especially, the oxidative coupling of trans-[Cl(dppe)2Ru(CC)3H] with Cu(OAc)2 led to the formation of the first Ruthenium(II) binuclear species with 12 carbon atoms between the remote metals. This compound shows two reversible redox processes.