Terminal coordination of a gallium(I) species to a transition metal. Syntheses and crystal structures of Ru{GaCl(THF)(2)}{GaCl2(THF)}(2)(CO)(3)center dot 0.5THF and Ru-2{GaCl2(THF)}(2)(CO)(8)

The reaction of Ru-3(CO)(12) With Ga2Cl4 in the presence of gallium metal in refluxing toluene,followed by crystallization from tetrahydrofuran, produces Ru{GaCl2(THF)(2)}{GaCl2(THF)}(2)(CO)(3).0.5 THF (1) and Ru-2{GaCl2-(THF)}(2)(CO)(8) (2) (THF = tetrahydrofuran). The ruthenium atom in 1 has an approximately octahedral coordination environment, with meridinal arrangements of carbonyl ligands and gallium atoms, The GaCl(THF)(2) group is in a position trans to one of the GaCl2(THF) groups. The crystal structure of 2 consists of a linear arrangement of metal atoms in which two GaCl2(THF) groups are in axial positions with respect to the metal-metal bond of an Ru-2(CO)(8) unit. Crystal data for I: monoclinic space group P2(1)/c (No. 14), a = 17.367(3) Angstrom, b = 12.054(2) Angstrom, c = 16.049(3) Angstrom, beta = 95.18(1)degrees, Z = 4, R = 0.0527, R-w = 0.0718. Crystal data for 2: monoclinic space group P2(1)/c (No. 14), a = 11,980(1) Angstrom, b = 6.944(1) Angstrom, c = 16.097(3) Angstrom, beta = 96.81(1)degrees, Z= 2, R = 0.0300, R-w = 0.0510. The title complexes are the first compounds to contain ruthenium-gallium bonds, and compound 1 is the second structurally-characterized example of a complex in which a gallium(I) species is terminally coordinated to a transition metal.