Synthesis and Reactivity of Hybrid Phosphido- and Thiolato-Bridged Diruthenium Complexes

Reactions of the monophosphido-bridged diruthenium(III) complexes [Cp*RuCl(μ-PR2)(μ-Cl)RuClCp*] with a variety of (alkylthio)trimethylsilanes afford the hybrid phosphido- and thiolato-bridged diruthenium complexes [Cp*RuCl(μ-PR2)(μ-SR′)RuClCp*]. Although some newly prepared hybrid diruthenium complexes are found to work as catalysts toward propargylic substitution reactions of propargylic alcohols with nucleophiles, their catalytic activity is lower than that of the methanethiolato-bridged diruthenium complex.