Synthesis, structure, electrochemistry and ROMP-activity of new ferrocenyl analog of Grubbs’ metathesis catalyst

Treatment of [(PCy3)2Cl2Rudouble bond; length as m-dashCH–Ph] (I) with vinylferrocene 1 and 1-ferrocenyl-1,3-butadiene 2 yielded solid products. These new complexes were characterized by 1H NMR, 31P NMR and 13C NMR spectroscopy. X-ray crystal structures of both the complexes have been solved. The crystal structure of II confirmed the assigned structure and revealed existence of two sets of intermolecular C–H–Cl(M) type interactions, viz. (Ru)Cl–H–C(ferrocene) and (Ru)Cl–H–CHCl2. The air-stable, dark solid II is an efficient catalyst for ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) of cyclopentene, norbornene and cycloocta-1,5-diene. Electrochemical behavior of the complexes clearly reflects electronic communication between two metal centers.