An efficient synthesis of polyynyl and polyynediyl complexes of ruthenium(II)

The fluoride-induced desilylation of trimethylsilyl-substituted alkynes and polyynes and subsequent reactions with RuCl(PPh3)(2)Cp have been used to synthesize complexes containing unsaturated chains containing up to six carbons. Reactions with Co-2(CO)(8) or tetracyanoethene have been further used to characterise the products. Structural confirmation of RuX(PPh3)(2)Cp [X=C=CC6H4C=CSiMe3 2, C=CC=CPh 4, C=CC2Ph{Co-2(CO)(6)} 8, C=CC2H{Co-2(mu-dppm)(CO)(4)} 9, C=CC{=C(CN)(2)}CPh=C(CN)(2) 10 or C=CC{=C(CN)(2)}C{=C(CN)(2)}C=CPh 11] and {Ru(PPh3)(2)Cp}(2)(mu-C-n) [n=4 (6) or 6 (7)] is reported.