Diastereomeric half-sandwich Ru(II) cationic complexes containing amino amide ligands. Synthesis, solution properties, crystal structure and catalytic activity in transfer hydrogenation of acetophenone

A series of half-sandwich Ru(II) complexes containing two different amino amides (l-proline amide and l-phenylalanine amide), two different arenes (p-cymene and indane), two different coordinated halogens (Cl and I) and three different uncoordinated anion (Cl, I or PF6) have been synthesised and characterized both in solution and in the solid state. They show reasonable activity in the enantioselective reduction of acetophenone.