Synthesis and crystal structure of a novel ruthenium(II) complex with in situ generated dithiobiurea ligand

•A new dithiobithiourea/Ru(II) complex has been prepared and its X-ray structure determined.•Unexpected 2,6-diacetylpyridine mono(4-methoxyphenylthiosemicarbazone) chemical transformation.•The ligand coordinates to Ru(II) ion via SNS fashion.

Upon reaction with RuCl2(PPh3)3 in toluene in presence of triethylamine, 2,6-diacetylpyridine mono(4-methoxyphenyl thiosemicarbazone) undergoes an unusual and interesting chemical transformation leading to the formation of a dithiobiurea ruthenium(II) complex. The new complex was characterized by analytical, spectroscopic and single crystal X-ray diffraction techniques. The crystallographic study confirmed the presence of 1,6-(4-metoxyphenyl)-2,5-dithiobiurea acting as monoanionic SNS tridentate ligand. Thus the coordination geometry around the ruthenium(II) ion is a distorted octahedral where the SNS donor set of the ligand and one co-ordinated chlorido constitute the equatorial plane. The remaining apical coordination positions are filled up by two triphenylphosphines.

Graphical abstractWe report the synthesis of a new RuII complex derived from an in situ generated dithiobiurea ligand. As determined by single-crystal structure analysis, the metal ion is in an octahedral environment being the equatorial sites occupied by a chloride and the S,N,S ligand whereas two triphenylphosphines occupy the axial ones.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide