Ruthenium Azocarboxamide Half-Sandwich Complexes: Influence of the Coordination Mode on the Electronic Structure and Activity in Base-Free Transfer Hydrogenation Catalysis

Azocarboxamides were used as chelating ligands in ruthenium half-sandwich complexes. The synthesis and characterization of two new complexes with an unprecedented coordination motif are presented together with an in-depth investigation of two recently published complexes. Three different coordination modes of the ligands were realized, as evident by NMR spectroscopy and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The use of base during the synthesis leads to a coordination of a deprotonated ligand, while the introduction of additional donor atoms results in a noncoordinated amide group. The first systematic experimental (cyclic voltammetry and UV–vis–NIR and EPR spectroelectrochemistry) and theoretical (DFT) investigation of the electronic structure of metal complexes bearing this redox-active ligand class is presented, revealing redox processes with ligand contribution. The absorption spectra and electrochemistry are mainly determined by the protonation state of the ligand. While complexes 2­[PF6], 3­[PF6], and 4­[PF6] with neutral azocarboxamides show similar electronic spectra and cyclovoltammograms, the incorporation of a deprotonated monoanionic ligand in complex 1 leads to significant changes of these properties. In contrast, the catalytic activity in the base-free transfer hydrogenation reaction is mainly dependent on the coordination of the amide group, with only minor effects of the protonation state. While complexes 3­[PF6] and 4­[PF6], with an uncoordinated amide group, are inactive without the addition of base, complexes 1 and 2­[PF6], with a metal-bound amide group, show activity under base-free conditions. The impact of the position of the amide group together with the detection of metal hydride species in 1H NMR spectroscopy suggests the operation of metal–ligand bifunctional catalysis to take place when no base is added.