Ruthenium carbene complexes containing a triazolidene cationic ligand

Reaction of the bis(dihydrogen)ruthenium complex RuH2(H-2)(2)(PCy3)(2) (1) with 1 equiv of the dicationic heterocyclic carbene precursor (C6H13N3)(SO3CF3)(2) (3) produces in good yield the hydrido carbene complex [RuH(C6H12N3)(OSO2CF3)(PCy3)(2)][SO3CF3] (4), An X-ray structural analysis of 4 confirms the triflate coordination to the metal. NMR data show that, in solution, 4 exists as a mixture of two isomers. By addition of 1 equiv of the dicationic carbene precursor 3 to the dimer [Cp*Ru(mu -OMe)](2) (2), the tricationic bis(carbene) complex [Cp*Ru(C6H12N3)(2)][SO3CF3](3) (7) is isolated in moderate yield and has been characterized by an X-ray structural determination and NMR data.