Novel Monophosphido-Bridged Diruthenium Complexes: Efficient Preparative Method and Catalytic Activity toward Reactions of Propargylic Alcohols with Aromatic Compounds

Reactions of a chloride-bridged diruthenium(III) complex with (dialkylphosphino)trimethylsilanes afford novel monophosphido-bridged diruthenium complexes, which are further transformed into the corresponding cationic complexes by treatment with silver trifluoromethanesulfonate. The dimethylphosphido-bridged complex is found to work as a dual catalyst toward the redox isomerization of propargylic alcohols to α,β-unsaturated ketones and sequential Friedel−Crafts reactions with heteroaromatic compounds.