Catalytic N−N bond cleavage of hydrazine by thiolate-bridged iron-ruthenium heteronuclear complexes

Abstract The novel thiolate-bridged iron-ruthenium heteronuclear complex [(PPh 3 )(bdt)Ru( μ - η 2 : η 4 -bdt)FeCp*] ( 1 , Cp * = η 5 -C 5 Me 5 , bdt = benzene-1,2-dithiolate) was prepared by one-electron reduction of complex [(PPh 3 )(bdt)Ru( μ - η 2 : η 4 -bdt)FeCp*][FeCl 3 ] ( 1[FeCl 3 ] ) using CoCp 2 as reducing agent. Meanwhile, complex 1 can also be one-electron oxidized by Fc·PF 6 or HBF 4 to regenerate the ionic complex 1[PF 6 ] or 1[BF 4 ] . Importantly, complex 1 shows good reactivity toward the catalytic N−N bond cleavage of hydrazine into ammonia.