Half-sandwich ruthenium(II) complexes containing a tricyclic β-iminophosphine ligand: Catalytic activity in Diels–Alder reactions

The diastereoselective κ2-P,N-coordination of a chiral tricyclic β-iminophosphine ligand to the half-sandwich ruthenium(II) fragments [RuCl(η6-arene)]+ (arene = C6H6, p-cymene, 1,3,5-C6H3Me3, C6Me6), [Ru(η6-p-cymene)(NCMe)]2+ and [Ru(η5-C5H5)(NCMe)]+ is described. The structures of the resulting mono- and dicationic cymene derivatives have been confirmed by X-ray crystallography. Studies on the catalytic activity of these Ru(II) compounds in Diels–Alder cycloaddition processes are also reported.

Graphical abstractThe diastereoselective coordination of the tricyclic β-iminophosphine ligand 1 to η6-arene and η5-cyclopentadienyl ruthenium(II) fragments is described. Spectroscopic data, X-ray crystal structure determinations and catalytic activity in Diels–Alder reactions of the resulting complexes are presented.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide