Synthesis and structures of fulvene-bridged diruthenium complexes

Three diruthenium carbonyl complexes, namely (eta (3):eta (5)-C5H4C(CH2)(2))Ru-2(CO)(5) (1), (eta (3):eta (5)-C5H4C(CHCH2)(C2H5))Ru-2(CO)(5) (2), and (eta (1):eta (5)-C5H4C5H8)Ru-2(CO)(6) (3), were obtained from the reactions of C5H4C(Me)(2), C5H4C(Et)(2), and C5H4C(CH2)(4), respectively, with Ru-3(CO)(12) in refluxing xylene. The complexes were characterized by elemental analysis, IR and H-1 NMR spectra. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis for complexes 1 and 2 revealed that the fulvene ligands bridge two ruthenium atoms in eta (3):eta (5) fashion.