Preparation and crystal structure of nonacarbonyl-di-µ-hydrido-µ₃-phenylimido-triangulo-triruthenium, [Ru₃(µ-H)₂(CO)₉(µ₃-NPh)]

[Ru3(CO)10(NPh)](1) reacts with molecular hydrogen to give [Ru3H2(CO)9(NPh)](2), which can be carbonylated to produce [Ru3(CO)12]. A single-crystal X-ray structure determination of (2) confirms the presence of a triply-bridging NPh group and two doubly-bridging hydrogen atoms: space group P21/c, a= 11.697(2), b= 9.265(2), c= 18.589(4)Å, β= 100.18(2)°, Z= 4, R= 0.039 for 3 019 unique observed reflections. Mean bond lengths include Ru–Ru 2.805(1)(H-bridged), 2.680(1)(unbridged), Ru–N 2.068(6), Ru–H 1.76(5)Å.