Synthesis and reactivity of the formally unsaturated diruthenium diphosphazane-bridged species [Ru2(CO)4{µ-(RO)2PN(Et)P(OR)2}2](R = Me or Pri)

Thermolysis of [Ru2(µ-CO)(CO)4{µ-(RO)2PN(Et)P(OR)2}2] or [Ru2H2(CO)4{µ-(RO)2PN(Et)P(OR)2}2](R = Me or Pri) under appropriate reaction conditions affords the formally unsaturated species [Ru2(CO)4{µ-(RO)2PN(Et)P(OR)2}2], which reacts spontaneously at room temperature with various substrates; the crystal structure of [Ru2(CO)4{µ-(PriO)2PN(Et)P(OPri)2}2] as well as that of [Ru2H2(CO)4{µ-(PriO)2PN(Et)P(OPri)2}2] is reported.