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Updated: Jul 3, 2026

The Synthesis, Characterization and Reactivity of a Series of Ruthenium N-triphosPh Complexes
Published on: April 10, 2015
Synthesis and dehydrocoupling reactivity of iron and ruthenium phosphine-borane complexes
Kajin Lee1, Timothy J Clark, Alan J Lough
1School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Cantock's Close, Bristol, UK BS8 1TS.
Abstract:
The Fe and Ru phosphine-borane complexes CpM(CO)2PPh2 x BH3 (1, M = Fe, 4, M = Ru) were synthesized utilizing the reaction of the phosphine-borane anion Li[PPh2 x BH3] with the iodo complexes CpM(CO)2I. The Fe complex 1 reacted with PMe3 to yield CpFe(CO)(PMe3)(PPh2 x BH3) (2) and CpFe(PMe3)2(PPh2 x BH3) (3) whereas the Ru species 4 gave only CpRu(CO)(PMe3)(PPh2 x BH3) (5). The complexes 1-5 were characterized by 1H, 11B, 13C and 31P NMR spectroscopy, MS, IR and X-ray crystallography for 1 to 4, and EA for 1, 2 and 4. The reactivity of 1 and 4 towards PPh2H x BH3 was explored. Although no stoichiometric reactions were detected under mild conditions, both 1 and 4 were found to function as dehydrocoupling catalysts to afford Ph2PH x BH2 x PPh2 x BH3 in the melt at elevated temperature (120 degrees C). The carbonyl Fe2(CO)9 also functioned as a dehydrocoupling catalyst under similar conditions. Complex 1 and Fe2(CO)9 represent the first reported active Fe complexes for the catalytic dehydrocoupling of phosphine-borane adducts.
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