Switching on the photochemical reactivity in heterodimetallic OsII–RuII bipyridyl complexes containing a bis(bidentate) phosphine

Stabilisation effects of phosphane ligands in the homogeneous approach of sunlight induced hydrogen production

Most of the systems for photochemical hydrogen production are not stable and suffer from decomposition. With bis(bidentate) tetraphosphane ligands the stability increases enormously, up to more than 1000 h. This stability was achieved with a system containing osmium(ii) as a light harvesting antenna and palladium(ii) as a water reduction catalyst connected with a bis(bidentate) phosphane ligand in one molecule with the chemical formula [Os(bpy)₂(dppcb)Pd(dppm)](PF₆)₄. With the help of electrochemical measurements as well as photophysical data and its single crystal X-ray structure, the electron transfer between the two active metal centres (light harvesting antenna, water reduction catalyst) was analysed. The distance between the two active metal centres was determined to be 7.396(1) Å. In a noble metal free combination of a copper based photosensitiser and a cobalt diimine-dioxime complex as water reduction catalyst a further stabilisation effect by the phosphane ligands is observed. With the help of triethylamine as a sacrificial donor in the presence of different monophosphane ligands it was possible to produce hydrogen with a turnover number of 1176. This completely novel combination is also able to produce hydrogen in a wide pH-range from pH = 7.0 to 12.5 with the maximum production at pH = 11.0. The influence of monophosphane ligands with different Tolman cone angles was investigated. Monophosphane ligands with a large Tolman cone angle (>160°) could not stabilise the intermediate of the cobalt based water reduction catalyst and so the turnover number is lower than for systems with an addition of monophosphane ligands with a Tolman cone angle smaller than 160°. The role of the monophosphane ligand during sunlight-induced hydrogen production was analysed and these results were confirmed with DFT calculations. Furthermore the crystal structures of two important Co(i) intermediates, which are the catalytic active species during the catalytic pathway, were obtained. The exchange of PPh₃ with other tertiary phosphane ligands can have a major impact on the activity, depending on the coordination properties. By an exchange of monophosphane ligands with functionalised phosphane ligands (hybrid ligands) the hydrogen production was raised 2.17 times.

Unusual stability of dyads during photochemical hydrogen production

Heterodimetallic dyads containing Os and Pd are connected by a bis(bidentate) phosphine and show an excellent stability for the water splitting application.

Oxidative quenching within photosensitizer-acceptor dyads based on bis(bidentate) phosphine-connected osmium(II) bipyridyl light absorbers and reactive metal sites

For the first time oxidative quenching of OsP₂N₄ chromophores by reactive Pt^II or Pd^II sites containing cis, trans, cis-1,2,3,4-tetrakis(diphenylphosphino)cyclobutane (dppcb) is directly observed despite the presence of a saturated cyclobutane backbone “bridge”. This dramatic effect is measured as a sudden temperature-dependent onset of a reduction in phosphorescence lifetime in [Os(bpy)₂(dppcb)MCl₂](SbF₆)₂ (M = Pt, 1; Pd, 2). The appearance of this additional energy release is not detectable in [Os(bpy)₂(dppcbO₂)](PF₆)₂ (3), where dppcbO₂ is cis, trans, cis-1,2-bis(diphenylphosphinoyl)-3,4-bis(diphenylphosphino)cyclobutane. Obviously, the square-planar metal centers in 1 and 2 are responsible for this effect. In line with these observations, the emission quantum yields at room temperature for 1 and 2 are drastically reduced compared with 3. Since this luminescence quenching implies strong intramolecular interaction between the Os^II excited states and the acceptor sites and depends on the metal⋯metal distances, also the single crystal X-ray structures of 1–3 are given.

Surprising photochemical reactivity and visible light-driven energy transfer in heterodimetallic complexes

The bis(bidentate) phosphine cis,trans,cis-1,2,3,4-tetrakis(diphenylphosphino)cyclobutane (dppcb) has been used for the synthesis of a series of novel heterodimetallic complexes starting from [Ru(bpy)(2)(dppcb)]X(2) (1; X = PF(6), SbF(6)), so-called dyads, showing surprising photochemical reactivity. They consist of [Ru(bpy)(2)](2+)"antenna" sites absorbing light combined with reactive square-planar metal centres. Thus, irradiating [Ru(bpy)(2)(dppcb)MCl(2)]X(2) (M = Pt, 2; Pd, 3; X = PF(6), SbF(6)) dissolved in CH(3)CN with visible light, produces the unique heterodimetallic compounds [Ru(bpy)(CH(3)CN)(2)(dppcb)MCl(2)]X(2) (M = Pt, 7; Pd, 8; X = PF(6), SbF(6)). In an analogous reaction the separable diastereoisomers (ΔΛ/ΛΔ)- and (ΔΔ/ΛΛ)-[Ru(bpy)(2)(dppcb)Os(bpy)(2)](PF(6))(4) (5/6) lead to [Ru(bpy)(CH(3)CN)(2)(dppcb)Os(bpy)(2)](PF(6))(4) (9), where only the RuP(2)N(4) moiety of 5/6 is photochemically reactive. By contrast, in the case of [Ru(bpy)(2)(dppcb)NiCl(2)]X(2) (4; X = PF(6), SbF(6)) no clean photoreaction is observed. Interestingly, this difference in photochemical behaviour is completely in line with the related photophysical parameters, where 2, 3, and 5/6, but not 4, show long-lived excited states at ambient temperature necessary for this type of photoreaction. Furthermore, the photochemical as well as the photophysical properties of 2-4 are also in accordance with their single crystal X-ray structures presented in this work. It seems likely that differences in "steric pressure" play a major role for these properties. The unique complexes 7-9 are also fully characterized by single-crystal X-ray structure analyses, clearly showing that the stretching vibration modes of the ligand CH(3)CN, present only in 7-9, cannot be directly influenced by "steric pressure". This has dramatic consequences for their photophysical parameters. The trans-[Ru(bpy)(CH(3)CN)(2)](2+) chromophore of 9 acts as efficient "antenna" for visible light-driven energy transfer to the Os-centred "trap" site, resulting in k(en) ≥ 2 × 10(9) s(-1) for the energy transfer. Since electron transfer is made possible by the use of this intervening energy transfer, in dyads like 2-4 highly reactive M(0) species (M = Pt, Pd, Ni) could be generated. These species are not stable in water and M(II) hydride intermediates are usually formed, further reacting with H(+) to give H(2). Thus, derivatives of 3, namely [M(bpy)(2)(dppcb)Pd(bpy)](PF(6))(4) (M = Os, Ru) dissolved in 1:1 (v/v) H(2)O-CH(3)CN produce H(2) during photolysis with visible light.

Luminescent ruthenium-polypyridine complexes & phosphorus ligands: anything but a simple story

This tutorial review presents an exhaustive picture of the luminescence studies that have been undertaken on ruthenium(ii) complexes bearing polypyridine and phosphorus(iii) ligands. The introduction of phosphorus to the Ru coordination sphere has multiple consequences on the nature and energy of the various excited states involved, but it does not necessarily rule out room temperature emission.