Chloro(cyclopentadienyl)bis(triphenylphosphine)ruthenium is the organoruthenium half-sandwich compound with formula RuCl(PPh3)2(C5H5). It as an air-stable orange crystalline solid that is used in a variety of organometallic synthetic and catalytic transformations. The compound has idealized Cs symmetry. It is soluble in chloroform, dichloromethane, and acetone.

Preparation

Chloro(cyclopentadienyl)bis(triphenylphosphine)ruthenium was first reported in 1969 when it was prepared by reacting dichlorotris(triphenylphosphine)ruthenium(II) with cyclopentadiene. It is prepared by heating a mixture of ruthenium(III) chloride, triphenylphosphine, and cyclopentadiene in ethanol.

Reactions

Chloro(cyclopentadienyl)bis(triphenylphosphine)ruthenium(II) undergoes a variety of reactions often by involving substitution of the chloride. With phenylacetylene it gives the phenyl vinylidene complex: Displacement of one PPh3 by carbon monoxide affords a chiral compound. The compound can also be converted into the hydride: A related complex is tris(acetonitrile)cyclopentadienylruthenium hexafluorophosphate, which has three labile MeCN ligands.

Applications

Chloro(cyclopentadienyl)bis(triphenylphosphine)ruthenium(II) serves as a catalyst for a variety of specialized reactions. For example, in the presence of NH4PF6 it catalyzes the isomerisation of allylic alcohols to the corresponding saturated carbonyls.