Heteroleptic half-sandwich Ru(II), Rh(III) and Ir(III) complexes based on 5-ferrocenyldipyrromethene

The synthesis and characterization of heteroleptic complexes with the formulations [(η6-arene)RuCl(fcdpm)] (η6-arene = C6H6, C10H14) and [(η5-C5Me5)MCl(fcdpm)] (M = Rh, Ir; fcdpm = 5-ferrocenyldipyrromethene) have been reported. All the complexes have been characterized by elemental analyses, IR, 1H NMR and electronic spectral studies. Structures of [(η6-C6H6)RuCl(fcdpm)] and [(η6-C10H14)RuCl(fcdpm)] have been determined crystallographically. Chelating monoanionic linkage of fcdpm to the respective metal centres has been supported by spectral and structural studies. Further, reactivity of the representative complex [(η6-C10H14)RuCl(fcdpm)] with ammonium thiocyanate (NH4SCN) and triphenylphosphine (PPh3) have been examined.

Graphical abstractHalf-sandwich compounds derived from reactions of dimeric arene ruthenium [{(η6-arene)Ru(μ-Cl)Cl}2] (arene = benzene and p-cymene) and structurally analogous rhodium and iridium complexes [{(η5-C5Me5)M(μ-Cl)Cl}2] (M = Rh or Ir) with 5-ferrocenyldipyrromethene are reported. Crystal structure of the representative complexes [(η6-C6H6)RuCl(fcdpm)] and [(η6-C10H14)RuCl(fcdpm)] has been determined crystallographically.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slideResearch highlights► The present work deals with the synthesis, spectral and structural characterization of mononuclear complexes containing (η6-arene)Ru-, (η5-C5Me5)Rh- and (η5-C5Me5)Ir- moieties and 5-ferrocenyldipyrromethene (fcdpm). ► Through this work organometallic chemistry of fcdpm has been developed for the first time. ► Single crystal X-ray diffraction analyses on [(η6-C6H6)RuCl(fcdpm)] and [(η6-C10H14)RuCl(fcdpm)] revealed chelating monoanionic linkage of the ligand fcdpm with the metal centres.