New chiral phosphoramidite allenylidene complexes of ruthenium obtained with chirality transfer

The synthesis and structural characterization of the first ruthenium phosphoramidite allenylidene complexes that are chiral at the metal are described. The precursor complex [RuCl(Ind)(PPh3)2] (Ind = indenyl anion) was reacted with 1 equiv of different chiral phosphoramidite ligands L to give complexes of the general formula [RuCl(Ind)(PPh3)L]. These complexes are stereogenic at the metal and at the ligand L. One of these complexes was obtained in diastereomeric purity, and was subsequently converted to allenylidene complexes of the general formula [RuCCCR′R(Ind)(PPh3)L]+PF6 (R = R′ = Ph; R = Ph, R′ = Me) in diastereomeric purity. As shown by X-ray, the chiral information is completely transferred from the precursor complex to the allenylidenes, which is of importance for potential catalytic applications.