New water oxidation chemistry of a seven-coordinate ruthenium complex with a tetradentate polypyridyl ligand

The mononuclear ruthenium(II) complex [Ru](2+) (Ru = Ru(dpp)(pic)2, where dpp is the tetradentate 2,9-dipyrid-2'-yl-1,10-phenanthroline ligand and pic is 4-picoline) reported by Thummel's group (Inorg. Chem. 2008, 47, 1835-1848) that contains no water molecule in its primary coordination shell is evaluated as a catalyst for water oxidation in artificial photosynthesis. A detailed theoretical characterization of the energetics, thermochemistry, and spectroscopic properties of intermediates allowed us to interpret new electrochemical and spectroscopic experimental data, and propose a mechanism for the water oxidation process that involves an unprecedented sequence of seven-coordinate ruthenium complexes as intermediates. This analysis provides insights into a mechanism that generates four electrons and four protons in the solution and a gas-phase oxygen molecule at different pH values. On the basis of the calculations and corroborated substantially by experiments, the catalytic cycle goes through [(2)Ru(III)](3+) and [(2)Ru(V)(O)](3+) to [(1)Ru(IV)(OOH)](3+) then [(2)Ru(III)(···(3)O2)](3+) at pH 0, and through [(3)Ru(IV)(O)](2+), [(2)Ru(V)(O)](3+), and [(1)Ru(IV)(OO)](2+) at pH 9 before reaching the same [(2)Ru(III)(···(3)O2)](3+) species, from which the liberation of the weakly bound O2 might require an additional oxidation to form [(3)Ru(IV)(O)](2+) to initiate further cycles involving all seven-coordinate species.

Controlling ground and excited state properties through ligand changes in ruthenium polypyridyl complexes

The capture and storage of solar energy requires chromophores that absorb light throughout the solar spectrum. We report here the synthesis, characterization, electrochemical, and photophysical properties of a series of Ru(II) polypyridyl complexes of the type [Ru(bpy)2(N-N)](2+) (bpy = 2,2'-bipyridine; N-N is a bidentate polypyridyl ligand). In this series, the nature of the N-N ligand was altered, either through increased conjugation or incorporation of noncoordinating heteroatoms, as a way to use ligand electronic properties to tune redox potentials, absorption spectra, emission spectra, and excited state energies and lifetimes. Electrochemical measurements show that lowering the π* orbitals on the N-N ligand results in more positive Ru(3+/2+) redox potentials and more positive first ligand-based reduction potentials. The metal-to-ligand charge transfer absorptions of all of the new complexes are mostly red-shifted compared to Ru(bpy)3(2+) (λmax = 449 nm) with the lowest energy MLCT absorption appearing at λmax = 564 nm. Emission energies decrease from λmax = 650 nm to 885 nm across the series. One-mode Franck-Condon analysis of room-temperature emission spectra are used to calculate key excited state properties, including excited state redox potentials. The impacts of ligand changes on visible light absorption, excited state reduction potentials, and Ru(3+/2+) potentials are assessed in the context of preparing low energy light absorbers for application in dye-sensitized photoelectrosynthesis cells.

A little spin on the side: solvent and temperature dependent paramagnetism in [RuII(bpy)2(phendione)]2+

Magnetometry, ¹H-NMR, EPR and substituent effects are used to explain solvent and temperature dependent paramagnetism in [Ru^II(bpy)₂(phendione)](PF₆)₂.

Accumulation of multiple oxidative equivalents at a single site by cross-surface electron transfer on TiO2

The photodriven accumulation of two oxidative equivalents at a single site was investigated on TiO2 coloaded with a ruthenium polypyridyl chromophore [Ru(bpy)2((4,4'-(OH)2PO)2bpy)](2+) (Ru(II)P(2+), bpy = 2,2'-bipyridine, ((OH)2PO)2-bpy = 2,2'-bipyridine-4,4'-diyldiphosphonic acid) and a water oxidation catalyst [Ru(Mebimpy) ((4,4'-(OH)2PO-CH2)2bpy)(OH2)](2+) (Ru(II)OH2(2+), Mebimpy = 2,6-bis(1-methylbenzimidazol-2-yl)pyridine, (4,4'-(OH)2PO-CH2)2bpy) = 4,4'-bis-methlylenephosphonato-2,2'-bipyridine). Electron injection from the metal-to-ligand charge transfer (MLCT) excited state of -Ru(II)P(2+) (-Ru(II)P(2+)*) to give -Ru(III)P(3+) and TiO2(e(-)) was followed by rapid (<20 ns) nearest-neighbor -Ru(II)OH2(2+) to -Ru(III)P(3+) electron transfer. On surfaces containing both -Ru(II)P(2+) and -Ru(III)OH2(3+) (or -Ru(III)OH(2+)), -Ru(II)OH2(2+) was formed by random migration of the injected electron inside the TiO2 nanoparticle and recombination with the preoxidized catalyst, followed by relatively slow (μs-ms) non-nearest neighbor cross-surface electron transfer from -Ru(II)OH2(2+) to -Ru(III)P(3+). Steady state illumination of coloaded TiO2 photoanodes in a dye sensitized photoelectrosynthesis cell (DSPEC) configuration resulted in the buildup of -Ru(III)P(3+), -Ru(III)OH(2+), and -Ru(IV)═O(2+), with -Ru(IV)═O(2+) formation favored at high chromophore to catalyst ratios.

Mechanism of Catalytic Water Oxidation by the Ruthenium Blue Dimer Catalyst: Comparative Study in D₂O versus H₂O

Water oxidation is critically important for the development of energy solutions based on the concept of artificial photosynthesis. In order to gain deeper insight into the mechanism of water oxidation, the catalytic cycle for the first designed water oxidation catalyst, cis,cis-[(bpy)₂(H₂O)Ru^IIIORu^III(OH₂)(bpy)₂]⁴⁺ (bpy is 2,2-bipyridine) known as the blue dimer (BD), is monitored in D₂O by combined application of stopped flow UV-Vis, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and resonance Raman spectroscopy on freeze quenched samples. The results of these studies show that the rate of formation of BD[4,5] by Ce(IV) oxidation of BD[3,4] (numbers in square bracket denote oxidation states of the ruthenium (Ru) centers) in 0.1 M HNO₃, as well as further oxidation of BD[4,5] are slower in D₂O by 2.1–2.5. Ce(IV) oxidation of BD[4,5] and reaction with H₂O result in formation of an intermediate, BD[3,4]′, which builds up in reaction mixtures on the minute time scale. Combined results under the conditions of these experiments at pH 1 indicate that oxidation of BD[3,4]′ is a rate limiting step in water oxidation with the BD catalyst.

Photoinduced electron transfer in a chromophore-catalyst assembly anchored to TiO2

Photoinduced formation, separation, and buildup of multiple redox equivalents are an integral part of cycles for producing solar fuels in dye-sensitized photoelectrosynthesis cells (DSPECs). Excitation wavelength-dependent electron injection, intra-assembly electron transfer, and pH-dependent back electron transfer on TiO(2) were investigated for the molecular assembly [((PO(3)H(2)-CH(2))-bpy)(2)Ru(a)(bpy-NH-CO-trpy)Ru(b)(bpy)(OH(2))](4+) ([TiO(2)-Ru(a)(II)-Ru(b)(II)-OH(2)](4+); ((PO(3)H(2)-CH(2))(2)-bpy = ([2,2'-bipyridine]-4,4'-diylbis(methylene))diphosphonic acid); bpy-ph-NH-CO-trpy = 4-([2,2':6',2″-terpyridin]-4'-yl)-N-((4'-methyl-[2,2'-bipyridin]-4-yl)methyl) benzamide); bpy = 2,2'-bipyridine). This assembly combines a light-harvesting chromophore and a water oxidation catalyst linked by a synthetically flexible saturated bridge designed to enable long-lived charge-separated states. Following excitation of the chromophore, rapid electron injection into TiO(2) and intra-assembly electron transfer occur on the subnanosecond time scale followed by microsecond-millisecond back electron transfer from the semiconductor to the oxidized catalyst, [TiO(2)(e(-))-Ru(a)(II)-Ru(b)(III)-OH(2)](4+)→[TiO(2)-Ru(a)(II)-Ru(b)(II)-OH(2)](4+).

Interfacial dynamics and solar fuel formation in dye-sensitized photoelectrosynthesis cells

Dye-sensitized photoelectrosynthesis cells (DSPECs) represent a promising approach to solar fuels with solar-energy storage in chemical bonds. The targets are water splitting and carbon dioxide reduction by water to CO, other oxygenates, or hydrocarbons. DSPECs are based on dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) but with photoexcitation driving physically separated solar fuel half reactions. A systematic basis for DSPECs is available based on a modular approach with light absorption/excited-state electron injection, and catalyst activation assembled in integrated structures. Progress has been made on catalysts for water oxidation and CO(2) reduction, dynamics of electron injection, back electron transfer, and photostability under conditions appropriate for water splitting. With added reductive scavengers, as surrogates for water oxidation, DSPECs have been investigated for hydrogen generation based on transient absorption and photocurrent measurements. Detailed insights are emerging which define kinetic and thermodynamic requirements for the individual processes underlying DSPEC performance.