Highly Electrophilic, 16-Electron [Ru(P(OMe)(OH)₂)(dppe)₂]²⁺ Complex Turns H₂(g) into a Strong Acid and Splits a Si−H Bond Heterolytically. Synthesis and Structure of the Novel Phosphorous Acid Complex [Ru(P(OH)₃)(dppe)₂]²⁺

The highly electrophilic, 16-electron, coordinatively unsaturated [Ru(P(OMe)(OH)(2))(dppe)(2)][OTf](2) complex brings about the heterolytic activation of H(2)(g) and spontaneously generates HOTf. In addition, trans-[Ru(H)(P(OMe)(OH)(2))(dppe)(2)](+) and an unprecedented example of a phosphorous acid complex, [Ru(P(OH)(3))(dppe)(2)](2+), are formed. The [Ru(P(OMe)(OH)(2))(dppe)(2)][OTf](2) complex also cleaves the Si-H bond in EtMe(2)SiH in a heterolytic fashion, resulting in the trans-[Ru(H)(P(OMe)(OH)(2))(dppe)(2)](+) derivative.