Crystal and molecular structure of trichlorobis(diethylphenylphosphine)-(diethylphenylphosphineiminato)ruthenium(IV): a complex with an almost linear Ru–N–P system

Abstract

Crystals of the title complex are orthorhombic with unit-cell dimensions a= 19.870(3),b= 11.933(3),c= 14.194(3)Å, space group P2₁2₁2₁, and Z= 4. The X-ray crystal structure has been determined by the heavy-atom method from diffractometer data, and least-squares refinement has reached R 0.025 for 3 586 independent reflections.

A slightly distorted octahedral environment is found for the ruthenium atom, comprising three mer-chlorine atoms, two PPhEt₂ groups mutually trans, and an Et₂PhPN^–, ligand. This ligand bonds in an essentially linear fashion with Ru–N–P 174.9° and Ru–N and N–P distances 1.841 and 1.586 Å. The mean Ru–Cl (trans to Cl) distance is 2.388 while Ru–Cl (trans to N) is 2.397 Å, suggesting that the tertiary phosphineiminato-group exerts little, if any, trans-influence. Mean Ru–P is 2.425 Å.

A possible bonding scheme is suggested for the Ru–N–P system.