Synthesis, structure, catalytic transfer hydrogenation and biological activity of cyclometallated ruthenium(III)2-(arylazo)phenolate complexes

A series of mononuclear organoruthenium complexes of the type [RuX(PPh3)2(L)] (X = Cl or Br; L = 2-(arylazo)phenolate ligand) have been synthesized from the reaction of five 2-(arylazo)phenol ligands with ruthenium(III) precursors, viz. [RuCl3(PPh3)3] and [RuBr3(PPh3)2(CH3OH)] in benzene under reflux. In all these reactions, the 2-(arylazo)phenolate ligand replaces one triphenylphosphine molecule, two chlorides or bromides and one methanol from the precursors leading to five-membered cyclometallated species. The 2-(arylazo)phenol ligands behave as dianionic tridentate C, N, O donors and coordinated to ruthenium by dissociation of the phenolic proton and the phenyl proton at the ortho position of the phenyl ring. The compositions of the complexes have been established by elemental analysis, magnetic susceptibility measurement, FT-IR, UV–Vis and EPR spectral data. These complexes are paramagnetic and shows intense d–d and charge transfer transitions in chloroform. The solution EPR spectrum of the complex 7 in dichloromethane at 77 K shows rhombic distortion around the ruthenium ion. The structural conformation of the complex 1 has been carried out by X-ray crystallography. The redox behavior of the complexes has been investigated by cyclic voltammetry and the potentials are observed with respect to the electronic nature of substituents (R) in the 2-(arylazo) phenolate ligands. These complexes catalyze transfer hydrogenation of benzophenone to benzhydrol with up to 99.5% in the presence of i-prOH/KOH. Further, these complexes have shown great promise in inhibiting the growth of both Gram +ve and Gram −ve bacteria, viz. Staphylococcus aureus NCIM 2079 and Escherichia coli NCIM 2065 and fungus Candida albicans NCIM 3102.