Synthesis of parent amido (NH2)-bridged dinuclear complexes of ruthenium and iridium by stepwise transfer hydrogenation of mu-azido complexes.

The azido-bridged diruthenium and diiridium complexes [(LMCl)(2)(micro-N(3))(2)] (LM = CymRu, Cp*Ir; Cym = eta(6)-p-cymene, Cp* = eta(5)-C(5)(CH(3))(5)) are sequentially converted into the amido-bridged complexes [(LMCl)(2)(micro-NH(2))(micro-N(3))] and [(LMCl)(2)(micro-NH(2))(micro-H)] upon treatment with 2-propanol and a base.