Reactions between ruthenium chlorides and trimethyl phosphite : crystal and molecular structures of RuCI3(NH3)[P(OMe)3]2

Abstract

The reaction between RuCl₃,nH₂O and P(OMe)₃ affords RuCl₂[P(OMe)₃]₄; one batch of RuCl₃,-nH₂O also gave amminetrichlorobis(trimethyl phosphite)ruthenium(III), RuCl₃(NH₃)[P(OMe)₃]₂, as a minor product. The structure of this complex has been determined from a single-crystal X-ray diffraction study (4598 data, R 0.065, Rw 0.090): the ruthenium is approximately octahedrally coordinated by the three mer chloro, two trans P(OMe)₃ and one NH₃ ligands. Crystals are monoclinic,P2₁/n, a 8.725(3), b 18.286(7), c 10.936(4)Ǻ, β 94.57(3)°, Z 4.