Ruthenium piano stool complexes incorporating novel bis(pyrrolidinyl)alkylphosphines

Abstract

Conventional phosphine ligands (i.e., those typically bearing alkyl and/or aryl substituents) have played a crucial role in the development of transition metal coordination chemistry. Many structural and electronic variants have been explored, including the class of bis(N-pyrrolidinyl)alkylphosphines. These phosphines generally possess moderate steric properties, yet exhibit exceptional electron-donating properties. The greater Lewis basicity of bis(N-pyrrolidinyl)alkylphosphines likely can be attributed to the additional electron density provided by the lone pair of the planar nitrogen atoms through a dative interaction with the phosphorus donor atom.