Ruthenium carbonyl clusters containing PMe2(nap) and derived ligands (nap = 1-naphthyl): generation of naphthalyne derivatives

Bis(dimethylphosphino)naphthalene, 1,8-(PMe2)2C10H6 (dmpn), reacts readily with Ru3(CO)12 or Ru3(μ-dppm)(CO)10 with replacement of one of the PMe2 groups by H to give Ru3(CO)12 − n{PMe2(nap)}n (n = 1 2, 2 3) or Ru3(μ-dppm)(CO)9{PMe2(nap)} 4; the complex Ru3(CO)10(dmpn) 1 is obtained only in small amount. Thermolysis of 2 or 4 gives Ru3(μ-H)2{μ3-PMe2(C10H5)}(μ-dppm)n (CO)8-2n (n = 0 5, 1 6, respectively) containing μ3-naphthalyne groups.