Synthesis, characterization, and catalytic activity of half‐sandwich ruthenium complexes with pyridine/phenylene bridged NHC = E (NHC = N‐heterocyclic carbene, E = S, Se) ligands

Abstract Three half‐sandwichruthenium(II) complexes with pyridine/phenylene bridged NHC = E (NHC = N‐heterocyclic carbene, E = S, Se) ligands [Ru( p ‐cymene)L](PF 6 ) 1–2 ( 1a–1c , L = ligand) were synthesized and characterized. All ruthenium complexes were fully characterized by 1 H and 13 C NMR spectra, mass spectrometry, and single‐crystalX‐ray diffraction methods. Moreover, the half‐sandwich ruthenium complexes with NHC = E ligands showed highly catalytic activities towards to the tandem dehydrogenation of ammonia borane (AB) and hydrogenation of R–NO 2 to R–NH 2 at 353 K in water.