Ruthenium Janus-Head Complexes with a Triazolediylidene Ligand. Structural Features and Catalytic Applications

The use of the ligand triazolediylidene (ditz), has afforded the preparation of two new complexes of
Ru in which the ligand is bridging two metal fragments in a facially opposed (Janus-head) disposition.
One of the complexes is dinuclear (2) and the other tetranuclear (3). The tetranuclear compound displays
interesting structural features, as shown by the X-ray diffraction studies. The two complexes have been
tested in the catalytic β-alkylation of secondary alcohols with primary alcohols, providing high activities
when both aliphatic and aromatic alcohols are used.