Investigations in organometallic chemistry: (1) Attempts at electron transfer catalysis and iridium complexes, (2) Ethylene transfer between manganese and rhenium metal centers, and (3) Ruthenium compounds for chemical vapor deposition

Attempts at electron transfer catalysis (ETC) were made with Ir(CO)Cl(PR ₃)₂ and IrH(CO)(PPh₃)₃ for the hydrogenation and hydroformylation of 1-hexene, respectively. Metal carbonyl anions were used to try to induce ETC reductively. As this was unsuccessful, ferrocenium was used to attempt oxidatively induced ETC. This also proved unsuccessful.; It was reported in the literature that the low temperature reaction of Mn(CO)₅(η2-C₂H₄) + and Re(CO)₅− in CH₃CN/THF produced Mn₂(CO)₁₀(μ-C₂H₄) and Re₂(CO)₁₀(μ-C₂H₄) as precipitates. In this thesis, this reaction was investigated at room temperature by 1H NMR and infrared spectroscopies. It was determined that ethylene on Mn(CO)₅(η2-C₂H₄) + undergoes nucleophilic attack by Re(CO)₅− . Initial products observed in this reaction were Re(CO)₅(η 2-C₂H₄)+ and Mn(CO)₅ −. In essence, two electrons were transferred from the rheniurn metal center to the manganese metal center while the ethylene group was transferred to the rhenium metal center. The final homometallic ethylene-bridged products were the result of one electron reactions as Re(CO)₅(η 2-C₂H₄)+ and Re(CO)₅ − rapidly react, forming Re₂(CO)₁₀(μ-C ₂H₄) and remaining Mn(CO)₅(η2-C ₂H₄)+ reacted with Mn(CO)₅ − forming Mn₂(CO)₁₀(μ-C₂H ₄).; Ideal compounds for chemical vapor deposition (CVD) are stable at the transport temperature, have a high vapor pressure, are liquids or have a low melting point, and have known and efficient decomposition pathways and products. Four classes of ruthenium compounds were investigated for their suitability for use in CVD: substituted ruthenocenes, ruthenium compounds with other cyclic ligands, CpRu(CO)₂R (R = alkyl) derivatives and (alkene)Ru(CO) ₄ complexes. The synthesis and physical properties of these compounds are discussed.