The
coordination of the phosphino-alcohol ligands 2-Ph2PC6H4CH(R)OH (R = H, Me) onto an arene-ruthenium(II)
fragment gave rise to the formation of complexes of general formula
[RuCl2{2-Ph2PC6H4CH(R)OH}(η6-arene)] (R = H, arene = C6H6 (3a), p-cymene (3b), mesitylene
(3c), C6Me6 (3d);
R = Me, arene = p-cymene (5b)). In solution,
different isomers were observed depending on the solvent polarity.
They arise from the different coordination modes adopted by the phosphino-alcohol:
(i) the classical κ1-P mode through the selective
coordination of the phosphorus atom, (ii) the establishment of both
Ru–P and Cl····H–O interactions,
and (iii) the P,O-chelate formation. Treatment of
these species with NaPF6 led to the selective formation
of the corresponding cationic species [RuCl{κ2-(P,O)-2-Ph2PC6H4CH(R)OH}(η6-arene)][PF6] 6a–d and 7b, respectively. Unexpectedly, under basic conditions
these cationic compounds evolved into the neutral α-hydroxy-alkyl
derivatives [RuCl{κ2-(P,C)-Ph2PC6H4C(R)OH}(η6-arene)] through a formal C–H bond activation process.