Ru2(CO)4(OOCR)2L2 sawhorse-type complexes containing axial 5-(4-pyridyl)-10,15,20-triphenylporphyrin ligands

The thermal reaction of Ru₃(CO)₁₂ with various carboxylic acids (benzoic, 4-hydroxyphenylacetic, ferrocenic, stearic, oleic, 4-(octadecyloxy)benzoic) in refluxing tetrahydrofuran, followed by addition of 5-(4-pyridyl)-10,15,20-triphenylporphyrin (L), gives the dinuclear complexes Ru₂(CO)₄(OOCR)₂L₂ (1: R = -C₆H₅, 2: R = -CH₂-p-C₆H₄OH, 3: R = -C₅H₄FeC₅H₅, 4: R = -(CH₂)₁₆CH₃, 5: R = -(CH₂)₇CHCH(CH₂)₇CH₃, 6: R = -p-C₆H₄O(CH₂)₁₇CH₃). Complexes 1-6 were characterised by IR, NMR, and ESI-MS as well as by elemental analysis. The UV-Vis spectra show the Soret band centred at 417 nm and the Q bands at 515, 550, 590 and 645 nm, respectively.