Transition metal complexes of imidazole appended pyridyline linked bisphosphine, 2,6-bis(2-(diphenylphosphanyl)-1H-imidazol-1-yl)pyridine

Large-bite, bisphosphine, 2,6-bis(2-(diphenylphosphanyl)-1H-imidazol-1-yl)-pyridine (BDIP) on treatment with [Mo(NC5H11)(2)(CO)(4)], [Ni(PPh3)(2)(CO)(2)] and [M(COD)Cl-2] [M = Pd, Pt] afforded corresponding chelate complexes [{2,6-{PPh2C3H2N2}(2)C5H3N}{Mo(CO)(4)}] (2), [{2,6-{PPh2C3H2N2}(2)C5H3N}{Ni(CO)(2)}] (4) and [{2,6{PPh2C3H2N2}(2)C5H3N}{MCl2}] [5, M = Pd; 6, M = Pt]. Treatment of BDIP with one equivalent of [Ru(eta(6)-p-cymene)Cl-2](2) resulted in a dinuclear complex [{2,6-{PPh2C3H2N2}(2)C5H3N}{Ru(eta(6)-p-cymene)Cl-2}(2)] (3). The ligand bite varies in the range 97.46(4)degrees (2) to 104.07(2)degrees (6), whereas the M-P bond distances, P center dot center dot center dot P separation and dihedral (twist) angles are in the range of 2.2-2.5 angstrom, 3.534-3.841 angstrom and -54 degrees to 120 degrees, respectively. The structures of 2, 3, 5 and 6 were confirmed by single crystal X-ray analysis.