Experimental and computational studies on the reaction of silanes with the diphosphine-bridged triruthenium clusters Ru3(CO)10(μ-dppf), Ru3(CO)10(μ-dppm) and Ru3(CO)9{μ3-PPhCH2PPh(C6H4)}

The diphosphine-bridged clusters Ru3(CO)10(μ-dppf), Ru3(CO)10(μ-dppm), and Ru3(CO)9{μ3-PPhCH2PPh(C6H4)} activate silanes (Ph3SiH, Et3SiH, Ph2SiH2) to give products containing η1-silyl and bridging hydride groups. The Ru3 framework is maintained during the silane activation, and the role of the ancillary diphosphine ligand in helping to preserve the cluster nuclearity is discussed.