Steric and Electronic Effect of Cp-Substituents on the Structure of the Ruthenocene Based Pincer Palladium Borohydrides

Ruthenocene-based PCPtBu pincer ligands were used to synthesize novel pincer palladium chloride RcF[PCPtBu]PdCl (2a) and two novel palladium tetrahydroborates RcF[PCPtBu]Pd(BH4) (3a) and Rc*[PCPtBu]Pd(BH4) (3b), where RcF[PCPtBu] = κ3-{2,5-(tBu2PCH2)2-C5H2}Ru(CpF) (CpF = C5Me4CF3), and Rc*[PCPtBu] = κ3-{2,5-(tBu2PCH2)2C5H2}Ru(Cp*) (Cp* = C5Me5). These coordination compounds were characterized by X-ray, NMR and FTIR techniques. Analysis of the X-ray data shows that an increase of the steric bulk of non-metalated cyclopentadienyl ring in 3a and 3b relative to non-substituted Rc[PCPtBu]Pd(BH4) analogue (3c; where Rc[PCPtBu] = κ3-{2,5-(tBu2PCH2)2C5H2}Ru(Cp), Cp = C5H5) pushes palladium atom from the middle plane of the metalated Cp ring in the direction opposite to the ruthenium atom. This displacement increases in the order 3c < 3b < 3a following the order of the Cp-ring steric volume increase. The analysis of both X-ray and IR data suggests that BH4 ligand in both palladium tetrahydroborates 3a and 3b has the mixed coordination mode η1,2. The strength of the BH4 bond with palladium atom increases in the order Rc[PCPtBu]Pd(BH4) < Rc*[PCPtBu]Pd(BH4) < RcF[PCPtBu]Pd(BH4) that appears to be affected by both steric and electronic properties of the ruthenocene moiety.