(2,6-bis{1-[4-(dimethylamino)phenylimino]ethyl}pyridine)dichlorido(tri-phenylphosphine-kappa P)ruthenium(II): a zigzag chain of fused centrosymmetric R-2(2)(12) rings

Abstract

The title compound, [RuCl2(C25H29N5)(C18H15P)], a transfer hydrogenation catalyst, is supported by an N,N',N"-tridentate pyridine-bridged ligand and triphenylphosphine. The Run centre is six-coordinated in a distorted octahedral arrangement, with the two Cl atoms located in the axial positions, and the pyridine (py) N atom, the two imino N atoms and the triphenylphosphine P atom located in the equatorial plane. The two equatorial Ru-N-imino distances (mean 2.093 angstrom) are substantially longer than the equatorial Ru-N-py bond [1.954 (4) angstrom]. It is observed that the N-imino-M-N-py bond angle for the five-membered chelate rings of 2,6-bis(imino)pyridine-based complexes is inversely related to the magnitude of the M-N-py bond. The title structure is stabilized by intra- and intermolecular C-H... Cl hydrogen bonds, as well as by intramolecular pi-pi stacking interactions between the aromatic rings belonging to the triphenylphosphine ligand and the dimethylaminophenyl fragment. The intermolecular 2 hydrogen bonds form an R-2(2)(12) ring and a zigzag chain of fused centrosymmetric rings running parallel to the [100] direction.