Influence of filled d pi-manifold and L/L' ligands on the structure, basicity, and bond rotations of the octahedral and d(6) amido complexes TpRu(L)(L')(NHPh) (Tp = hydridotris(pyrazolyl)borate; L = L' = PMe(3) or P(OMe)(3), or L = CO and L' = PPh(3)): solid-state structures of [TpRu(PMe(3))(2)(NH(2)Ph)][OTf], [TpRu[P(OMe)(3)](2)(NH(2)Ph)][OTf], and TpRu[P(OMe)(3)](2)(NHPh).

It has been suggested that the reactivity of pi-donating ligands bound to late-transition-metal complexes is heightened due to high d-electron counts. Herein, the synthesis and characterization of the Ru(II) amine and Ru(II) amido complexes [TpRuL(2)(NH(2)Ph)][OTf] (OTf = trifluoromethanesulfonate) and TpRuL(2)(NHPh) (L = PMe(3) or P(OMe)(3)) are presented, including solid-state X-ray diffraction studies of [TpRu(PMe(3))(2)(NH(2)Ph)][OTf], [TpRu[P(OMe)(3)](2)(NH(2)Ph)][OTf], and TpRu[P(OMe)(3)](2)(NHPh). The pK(a)'s of the Ru(II) amine complexes and the previously reported [TpRu(CO)(PPh(3))(NH(2)Ph)](+) have been estimated to be comparable to that of malononitrile in methylene chloride. In addition, the impact of the filled dpi-manifold (i.e., Ru(II) and d(6) octahedral systems) on barriers to rotation of the Ru-NHPh moieties has been studied. For TpRu(PMe(3))(2)(NHPh) and TpRu[P(OMe)(3)](2)(NHPh), evidence for hindered rotation about the amido nitrogen and phenyl ipso carbon has been observed, and the relative N-C and Ru-N bond rotational barriers for the series of three amido complexes are discussed in terms of the pi-conflict.