The allenylidene complex [Ru(η5-C5H5)(CCCPh2)(CO)(PPri
3)]BF4 (1) reacts with dicyclohexylcarbodiimide to give the iminiumazetidinylidenemethyl complex
(2), as a 4:1 mixture of isomers Z (2a)
and E (2b). The structure of 2a was determined by an X-ray investigation, revealing a Ru−C
distance of 2.070(4) Å. Treatment of the isomeric mixture of 2 with sodium methoxide in
tetrahydrofuran at room temperature affords the iminoazetidinylidenemethyl complex
(6), which reacts with
HBF4·OEt2 to give
(7), as a result of the protonation of the exocyclic nitrogen atom of the unsaturated
η1-carbon ligand of 6. In the solid state and in solution at low temperature, complex 7 is
stable. However, in solution at room temperature, complex 7 evolves into
(8), which reacts with sodium methoxide
in tetrahydrofuran at room temperature to give the hexahydroquinolinylidenemethyl complex
(9), as a result of the deprotonation of the endocyclic nitrogen atom of 8. The structure of 9 was also determined by an
X-ray investigation, revealing, in this case, a Ru−C distance of 2.113(4) Å. The formation of
the azetidine and hexahydroquinoline skeletons of the ligands of these compounds is
discussed.