Synthesis and characterization of water-soluble arene-ruthenium complexes and their application in biphasic olefin oxidation

AbstractNew water-soluble complexes [(η6-C6H6)RuCl(C5H4N-2-CH = N-R)]Cl (1) (with R = 4-hydroxymethylphenyl (a), 2,4-dichlorophenyl (b), 2-fluorophenyl (c), 3-carboxyphenyl (d)) have been synthesized by reacting [(η6-C6H6)Ru(μ-Cl)Cl]2 with the N,N′-bidentate ligands in a 1:2 ratio. Full characterization of all complexes was accomplished using 1H and 13C NMR, elemental analyses, UV-Vis spectroscopy, IR spectroscopy and single crystal X-ray crystallography for determination of the structure of 1d, as 1d·4H2O. The single crystal structure confirmed coordination of the ligand to the ruthenium(II) center leading to a structure commonly described as a pseudo-octahedral, three-legged piano stool. The geometry around the Ru(II) center is such that the arene ring occupies the apex of the stool while the N,N′-bidentate ligand and a chloride occupy the base of the stool. The synthesized Ru(II) complexes were tested as catalysts for oxidation of styrene using NaIO4 as a co-oxidant in a biphasic system. All complexes ...