Sterically driven synthesis of ruthenium and ruthenium-silver N-heterocyclic carbene complexes

A straightforward and efficient synthetic route to novel Ru N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) complexes by transmetallation of non-bulky silver NHC to ruthenium dicarbonyl tetraarylcyclopentadienone is described. The same procedure with sterically demanding NHC leads to unprecedented heterobimetallic Ru-Ag(NHC) complexes.