Synthesis and structural studies of ruthenium(II) and rhodium(IV) complexes bearing tridentate sulfoxide Schiff base ligands

One new sulfoxide-containing Schiff base, (E)-4-chloro-2-((2-(methylsulfinyl phenyl)imino)methyl) phenol (HL) was coordinated with ruthenium and rhodium, affording five ruthenium(II) complexes [RuCl(L)(CO)2] (1), [RuCl(L)(dmso)2] (dmso = dimethylsulfoxide, 2), [RuCl(L)(PPh3)(CH3CN)] (3), [RuCl(L)(CO)(PPh3)] (4), [RuCl(NOS-LH2)(CO)(PPh3)] (5) and one rhodium(IV) complex [RhCl3(L)] (6). Molecular structures of HL and complexes 1–6 were established by single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. Moreover, the free ligand HL and its complexes 1–6 were characterized by infrared, NMR, UV-vis, and fluorescence spectroscopies, and their electrochemical properties were also investigated. The ruthenium complexes showed good catalytic activity for the cyclopropylation of styrene.