Synthesis and crystal structure of a novel ruthenium(II) complex with in situ generated dithiobiurea ligand

Upon reaction with RuCl2(PPh3)3 in toluene in presence of triethylamine, 2,6-diacetylpyridine mono(4-methoxyphenyl thiosemicarbazone) undergoes an unusual and interesting chemical transformation leading to the formation of a dithiobiurea ruthenium(II) complex. The new complex was characterized by analytical, spectroscopic and single crystal X-ray diffraction techniques. The crystallographic study confirmed the presence of 1,6-(4-metoxyphenyl)-2,5-dithiobiurea acting as monoanionic SNS tridentate ligand. Thus the coordination geometry around the ruthenium(II) ion is a distorted octahedral where the SNS donor set of the ligand and one co-ordinated chlorido constitute the equatorial plane. The remaining apical coordination positions are filled up by two triphenylphosphines.