Synthesis and structure of heterometallic compounds of [RuNO(NO2)4OH]2− with triphenyl phosphine oxide complexes of Co(II), Ni (II), and Zn(II)

New heterometallic complexes of Co, Ni, and Zn containing [RuNO(NO2)4OH]2− anion as polydentate ligand were synthesized and described by X-ray structural analysis. The distorted octahedral coordination sphere of the nonferrous metal is composed of three oxygen atoms of phosphine oxide ligands and three oxygen atoms of bridging OH and NO2 groups from [RuNO(NO2)4OH]2−. High-level DFT calculations showed that the stability of Ru/M complexes is determined by the charge transfer from remote NO and NO2 groups of the ruthenium anion to M2+ and by the electrostatic interactions of M2+ with coordinating oxygen atoms of OH and two NO2 groups.