We report an improved synthesis of
cis-[Ru(CH
3CN)
2((1-3-
)-C
3H
5)((1,2:5,6-
)-C
8H
12)]BF
4and its use in the synthesis of [Ru(bisphosphine)((1-3:5,6-
)-C
8H
11)(CH
3CN)]BF
4 (wherebisphosphine = (
R)-BINAP, (
R)-Tol-BINAP). Thermolyses of the complexes [Ru(bisphosphine)((1-3:5,6-
)-C
8H
11)(CH
3CN)]BF
4 afford [Ru(bisphosphine)((1-5-
)-C
8H
11)]BF
4, whichserve as convenient precatalysts to the active hydrogenation catalysts
fac-[Ru(bisphosphine)(H)(sol)
3]BF
4 (sol = THF, acetone,
i-PrOH). We compare the properties and activities of thesecatalysts with those of related, established systems.