Ruthenium Complexes Containing "Noninnocent" o-Benzoquinone Diimine/o-Phenylenediamide(2-) Ligands. Synthesis and Crystal Structure of the Nitrido-Bridged Complex [{LRu(o-C(6)H(4)(NH)(2))}(2)(&mgr;-N)](PF(6))(2).3CH(3)CN.C(6)H(5)CH(3).

Reaction of LRu(III)Cl(3) (L = 1,4,7-trimethyl-1,4,7-triazacyclononane) with 1,2-phenylenediamine (opdaH(2)) in H(2)O in the presence of air affords [LRu(II)(bqdi)(OH(2))](PF(6)) (1), where (bqdi) represents the neutral ligand o-benzoquinone diimine. From an alkaline methanol/water mixture of 1 was obtained the dinuclear species [{LRu(II)(bqdi)}(2)(&mgr;-H(3)O(2))](PF(6))(3) (1a). The coordinated water molecule in 1 is labile and can be readily substituted under appropriate reaction conditions by acetonitrile, yielding [LRu(II)(bqdi)(CH(3)CN)](PF(6))(2) (2), and by iodide and azide anions, affording [LRu(II)(bqdi)I](PF(6)).0.5H(2)O (3) and [LRu(bqdi)(N(3))](PF(6)).H(2)O (4), respectively. Heating of solid 4 in vacuum at 160 degrees C generates N(2) and the dinuclear, nitrido-bridged complex [{LRu(o-C(6)H(4)(NH)(2))}(2)(&mgr;-N)](PF(6))(2) (5). Complex 5 is a mixed-valent, paramagnetic species containing one unpaired electron per dinuclear unit whereas complexes 1-4 are diamagnetic. The crystal structures of 1, 1a.3CH(3)CN, 3, 4.H(2)O, and 5.3CH(3)CN.0.5(toluene) have been determined by X-ray crystallography: 1 crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P2(1)/m, Z = 2, with a = 8.412(2) Å, b = 15.562(3) Å, c = 10.025 Å, and beta = 109.89(2) degrees; 1a.3CH(3)CN, in the monoclinic space group C2/c, Z = 4, with a = 19.858(3) Å, b = 15.483(2) Å, c = 18.192(3) Å, and beta = 95.95(2) degrees; 3, in the orthorhombic space group Pnma, Z = 4, with a = 18.399(4) Å, b = 9.287(2) Å, and c = 12.052(2) Å, 4.H(2)O, in the monoclinic space group P2(1)/c, Z = 4, with a = 8.586(1) Å, b = 15.617(3) Å, c = 16.388(5) Å, and beta = 90.84(2) degrees; and 5.3CH(3)CN.0.5(toluene), in the monoclinic space group P2(1)/c, Z = 4, with a = 15.003(3) Å, b = 16.253(3) Å, c = 21.196(4) Å, and beta = 96.78(3) degrees. The structural data indicate that in complexes 1-4 the neutral o-benzoquinone diimine ligand prevails. In contrast, in 5 this ligand has predominantly o-phenylenediamide character, which would render 5 formally a mixed-valent Ru(IV)Ru(V) species. On the other hand, the Ru-N bond lengths of the Ru-N-Ru moiety at 1.805(5) and 1.767(5) Å are significantly longer than those in other crystallographically characterized Ru(IV)=N=Ru(IV) units (1.72-1.74 Å). It appears that the C(6)H(4)(NH)(2) ligand in 5 is noninnocent and that formal oxidation state assignments to the ligands or metal centers are not possible.