FORMATION OF N-IMIDOYLIMIDATORUTHENIUM(II) COMPLEXES VIA RUTHENIUM-PROMOTED HYDRATION OF NITRILES

The hydridoruthenium(II) complex [RuCl(H)(CO)(PPh3)3]1 reacted with aromatic nitriles at 120 °C in the presence of water to give novel N-imidoylimidatoruthenium(II) complexes [RuCl(NHCRNCRO)(CO)(PPh3)2](R = C6H4Me-p2, Ph 3, or C6H4Me-m4). In contrast, reaction of o-toluonitrile with 1 gave a small amount of the corresponding N-imidoylimidato complex and a considerable amount of o-toluamide. When 1 was heated at 120° in a 1 : 1 mixture of an amide R 1CONH2 and a nitrile R2CN a cross-linked N-imidoylimidato complex [RuCl(NHCR 2NCR 1O)(CO)(PPh3)2]6(R1= Ph, R2= C6H4Me-p) or 7(R1= C6H4Me-p, R2= Ph) was obtained. Single-crystal structure analyses of 2 and 6 have been performed.