Dinuclear thiolato-bridged complexes[Ru
2(CO)
4(
![](/images/entities/mgr.gif)
-SR)
2(PR'
3)
2](R' = Ph, Me) have beenreadily prepared from the reaction of[Ru
2(CO)
4(MeCN)
4(PR'
3)
2][BF
4]
2(R' = Ph (
1), Me (
2))with RSH (R =
tBu,
iPr, Ph) and Et
3N at ambienttemperature. Although only the syn formof[Ru
2(CO)
4(
![](/images/entities/mgr.gif)
-S
tBu)
2(PPh
3)
2](
3) and only the anti form of[Ru
2(CO)
4(
![](/images/entities/mgr.gif)
-SPh)
2(PMe
3)
2](
6)were found, an equilibrium mixture of both the syn (isomer
A) and anti (isomer
B) formswas present in solution for[Ru
2(CO)
4(
![](/images/entities/mgr.gif)
-S
iPr)
2(PPh
3)
2](
4) and[Ru
2(CO)
4(
![](/images/entities/mgr.gif)
-SPh)
2(PPh
3)
2](
5).The spectral data support that the syn form (
4A) is themajor isomer of
4, while the antiform (
5B) is the major isomer of
5. The twothiolato bridges are located cis to the twophosphine ligands in solid-state structures
3,
4A, and
5B, but they are located cis toonlyone of the two ligands whereas they are trans to the other in structure
6. Iodination of
3-
6gave one identical product[Ru
2(CO)
4(
![](/images/entities/mgr.gif)
-SR)
2I
2(PR'
3)
2](R' = Ph, R =
tBu (
7),
iPr (
8), Ph(
9);R' = Me, R = Ph (
10)). Both spectral and structuralevidence shows that
7-
10 exist inthesyn form with no Ru-Ru bonding interaction. The relativeorientation of the two thiolatobridges with respect to the two phosphine ligands present in
6 remains in structure
10, inspite of the change from anti to syn. The reactions of thediiodide complexes[Ru
2(CO)
4(
![](/images/entities/mgr.gif)
-SR)
2I
2(PR'
3)
2]with R''S anions give either[Ru
2(CO)
4(
![](/images/entities/mgr.gif)
-SR)
2(PR'
3)
2]and R''SSR'' or [Ru
2(CO)
4(
![](/images/entities/mgr.gif)
-SR)
2(SR'')
2(PR'
3)
2].