Herein we report the preparation of a series of Ru(II) complexes featuring alpha-iminopyridine ligands bearing thioether functionality (NNS<sup>R</sup>, where R = Me, CH<sub>2</sub>Ph, Ph). Metallation using (<i>p</i> cymene)RuCl dimer permits access to (k<sup>2</sup>-N,N)Ru complexes in which the thioether moiety remains uncoordinated. In the presence of a strong field ligand such as acetonitrile or triphenylphosphine, the p-cymene moiety is displaced, and the ligand adopts a k<sup>3</sup>-N,N,S binding mode. These complexes are characterized using a combination of solution and solid state methods, including the crystal structure of [(NNS<sup>Me</sup>)Ru(NCMe)<sub>2</sub>Cl]Cl. The k<sup>2</sup>-N,N Ru(II) complexes are shown to serve as efficient precatalysts for the oxidation of sec-phenethyl alcohol at 5 mol% loadings, using a variety of external oxidants and solvents. The complex bearing an S-Ph donor was found to be the most active of those surveyed, suggesting that the thioether donor plays an active role in catalyst speciation for this transformation.
Coherent interaction of laser pulses in a resonant optically dense extended medium under the regime of strong field-matter coupling
