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Updated: Jan 25, 2026

The Synthesis, Characterization and Reactivity of a Series of Ruthenium N-triphosPh Complexes
Published on: April 10, 2015
Phosphonium-Ring-Fused Bicyclic Metallafuran Complexes of Ruthenium and Osmium
Chi-Fung Yeung1,2, Lai-Hon Chung1, Sze-Wing Ng1,2
1Department of Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, P.R. China.
Abstract:
Metallafuran complexes with a fused five-membered phosphonium ring were synthesized from reactions between terminal ynones HC≡C(C=O)R and cis-[Ru/Os(dppm)2 Cl2 ] (dppm=1,1-bis(diphenylphosphino)methane). A metal-vinylidene-involving pathway was found to be an energetically feasible formation mechanism for these complexes. These phosphonium-containing metallafurans, like many phosphonium-functionalized drugs, have the ability to induce mitochondrial dysfunction. They also exhibit stronger cytotoxicity against several human cancer cell lines in comparison with their metal precursors and the classic anticancer drug cisplatin. Overall, this work provides structural and mechanistic insights for the rational design of functional metallacycles via activation of alkynes by RuII and OsII centers.
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