Allenylidene indenyl ruthenium( II ) complexes as sources of highly functionalized alkynyl complexes: synthesis of the first bimetallic derivatives containing a vinylidene–carbene bridge

The alkynylphosphonioruthenium(II) complex [Ru{–CC–C(PMe3)(H)Ph}(PPh3)2(η–C9H7)][PF6] reacts with aldehydes, ketones and phenylisocyanate via a Wittig process to afford either enynyl or keteniminyl complexes; [Ru(CCCPh2)(P-Ph3)2(η-C9H7)][PF6] undergoes regioselective necleophilic attacks at Cγ by the anionic species [M(CO5)C(OMe)CH2]-(M Cr, Mo, W) to yield binuclear alkynyl-carbene complexes [(η-C9H7)(PPh3)2Ru-CC-CPh2-CH2-C(OMe)M(CO)5] which are the precursors of the first vinylidene–carbene bimetallic cationic derivatives [(η-C9H7)(PPh3)2RuCC(H)–CPh2–CH2–C(OMe)M(CO)5]+.