Two methodologies of C-C bond formation to achieve organometallic complexes with 7 or 9 conjugated carbon atoms are described. A C
7 annelated
53a10001">trans-[Cl(dppe)2Ru=C=C=C-CH=C(CH2)-CC-Ru(dppe)2Cl][X] (X = PF
6, OTf) complex is obtained from the diyne
trans-[Cl(dppe)
2Ru-(C
C)
2-R] (R =H, SiMe
3) in the presence of [FeCp
2][PF
6] or HOTf, and C
7 or C
9 complexes
trans-[Cl(dppe)
2Ru-(C
C)
n-C(CH
3)=C(R
1)-C(R
2)=C=C=Ru(dppe)
2Cl][X] (
n = 1, 2; R
1 = Me, Ph, R
2 = H, Me; X = BF
4, OTf) areformed in the presence of a polyyne
trans-[Cl(dppe)
2Ru-(C
C)
n-R] (
n = 2, 3; R = H, SiMe
3) with aruthenium allenylidene
trans-[Cl(dppe)
2Ru=C=C=C(CH
2R
1)R
2][X]. These reactions proceed under mildconditions and involve cumulenic intermediates [M
+]=(C=)
nCHR (
n = 3, 5), including a hexapentaenylidene.A combination of chemical, electrochemical, spectroscopic (UV-vis, IR, NIR, EPR), and theoretical (DFT)techniques is used to show the influence of the nature and conformation of the bridge on the properties ofthe complexes and to give a picture of the electron delocalization in the reduced and oxidized states.These studies demonstrate that the C
7 bridging ligand spanning the metal centers by almost 12 Å isimplicated in both redox processes and serves as a molecular wire to convey the unpaired electron withno tendency for spin localization on one of the halves of the molecules. The reactivity of the C
7 complexestoward protonation and deprotonation led to original bis(acetylides), vinylidene-allenylidene, or carbyne-vinylidene species such as
trans-[Cl(dppe)
2Ru
C-CH=C(CH
3)-CH=C(CH
3)-HC=C=Ru(dppe)
2Cl][BF
4]
3.