Tris(acetonitrile)cyclopentadienylruthenium hexafluorophosphate is an organoruthenium compound with the formula C₅H₅)Ru(NCCH₃)₃F₆, abbreviated pRu(NCMe)₃F₆. It is a yellow-brown solid that is soluble in polar organic solvents. The compound is a salt consisting of the hexafluorophosphate anion and the cation pRu(NCMe)₃sup>+. In

coordination chemistry A coordination complex consists of a central atom or ion, which is usually metallic and is called the ''coordination centre'', and a surrounding array of bound molecules or ions, that are in turn known as ''ligands'' or complexing agents. Many ...

, it is used as a source of RuCp⁺ for further derivitization. In

organic synthesis Organic synthesis is a special branch of chemical synthesis and is concerned with the intentional construction of organic compounds. Organic molecules are often more complex than inorganic compounds, and their synthesis has developed into one o ...

, it is a

homogeneous catalyst In chemistry, homogeneous catalysis is catalysis by a soluble catalyst in a solution. Homogeneous catalysis refers to reactions where the catalyst is in the same phase as the reactants, principally in solution. In contrast, heterogeneous catalysis ...

. It enables C-C bond formation and promotes cycloadditions. The

cyclopentadienyl ligand A cyclopentadienyl complex is a coordination complex of a metal and cyclopentadienyl groups (, abbreviated as Cp−). Cyclopentadienyl ligands almost invariably bind to metals as a pentahapto (''η''5-) bonding mode. The metal–cyclopentadien ...

(Cp) is bonded in an η⁵ manner to the Ru(II) center.

Preparation

The title complex is synthesized in two steps from the

(benzene)ruthenium dichloride dimer (Benzene)ruthenium dichloride dimer is the organoruthenium compound with the formula CH)RuCl This red-coloured, diamagnetic solid is a reagent in organometallic chemistry and homogeneous catalysis. Preparation, structure, and reactions The dime ...

. In the first step, the Cp⁻ group is installed using

cyclopentadienylthallium Cyclopentadienylthallium, also known as thallium cyclopentadienide, is an organothallium compound with formula C5H5Tl. This light yellow solid is insoluble in most organic solvents, but sublimes readily. It is used as a precursor to transition m ...

: : C₆H₆)RuCl₂sub>2 + 2 TlCp + 2 NH₄PF₆ → 2 p(C₆H₆)RuF₆ + 2 TlCl + 2 NH₄Cl The second step entails photochemical displacement of the benzene ligand, which is replaced by three equivalents of acetonitrile (MeCN): : p(C₆H₆)RuF₆ + 3 MeCN → pRu(NCMe)₃F₆ + C₆H₆

References

{{Ruthenium compounds Organoruthenium compounds Cyclopentadienyl complexes Hexafluorophosphates Half sandwich compounds Nitriles Ruthenium(II) compounds