Highly Electrophilic, 16-Electron [Ru(P(OMe)(OH)2)(dppe)2]2+ Complex Turns H2(g) into a Strong Acid and Splits a Si-H Bond Heterolytically. Synthesis and Structure of the Novel Phosphorous Acid Complex [Ru(P(OH)3)(dppe)2]2+

The highly electrophilic, 16-electron, coordinatively unsaturated [Ru(P(OMe)(OH)2)(dppe)2][OTf]2 complex brings about the heterolytic activation of H2(g) and spontaneously generates HOTf. In addition, trans-[Ru(H)(P(OMe)(OH)2)(dppe)2]+ and an unprecedented example of a phosphorous acid complex, [Ru(P(OH)3)(dppe)2]2+, are formed. The [Ru(P(OMe)(OH)2)(dppe)2][OTf]2 complex also cleaves the Si-H bond in EtMe2SiH in a heterolytic fashion, resulting in the trans-[Ru(H)(P(OMe)(OH)2)(dppe)2]+ derivative.