Syntheses, spectroscopic properties and crystal structures of two organoruthenium (II) complexes of bipyridines:: [{Cp*Ru(2,2′-bipy)}2(μ-Cl)][PF6] and [{(η6-p-cymene)Ru}2(μ-OH)2(4,4′-bipy)]2[BF4]4

Interaction of [Cp*RuCl(mu-Cl)](2) with 2,2'-bipyridine (2,2'-bipy) in the presence of Na[PF6] gave a chloride bridging dinuclear complex [fCp*Ru(2,2'-bipy)}(2)(mu-Cl)][PF6] (1). In the crystal structure, the cation [(Cp*Ru(2,2'-bipy)}(2)(mu-Cl)](+) contains a bent Ru-Cl-Ru linkage with an angle of 141.87(12)degrees. The tris(mu-hydroxo)diruthenium complex [{(eta(6)-p-cymene)Ru}(2)(mu-OH)(3)][BF4] in acetone solution was treated by 4,4'-bipyridine (4,4'-bipy) to give a hydroxo-bridged tetranuclear complex [{(eta(6)-p-cymene)Ru}(2)(mu-OH)(2)(mu-4,4'-bipy)](2)[BF4] (2). Complex 2 consists of four (eta(6)-p-cymene)Ru moieties connected by two 4,4'-bipy and four hydroxo-bridging groups, forming a novel metallomacrocycle with alternating hydroxyl and 4,4'-bipy bridges between the ruthenium atoms. Spectroscopic properties along with electrochemistry of two organoruthenium (II) complexes 1 and 2 are reported. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.