Novel Heterometallic Fe−Ru2−Fe Arrays via “Complex of Complexes” Approach

Electronic Structure of Ru26+ Complexes with Electron-Rich Anilinopyridinate Ligands

Diruthenium paddlewheel complexes supported by electron-rich anilinopyridinate (Xap) ligands were synthesized in the course of the first in-depth structural and spectroscopic interrogation of monocationic [Ru₂(Xap)₄Cl]⁺ species in the Ru₂⁶⁺ oxidation state. Despite paramagnetism of the compounds, ¹H NMR spectroscopy proved highly informative for determining the isomerism of the Ru₂⁵⁺ and Ru₂⁶⁺ compounds. While most compounds are found to have the polar (4,0) geometry, with all four Xap ligands in the same orientation, some synthetic procedures resulted in a mixture of (4,0) and (3,1) isomers, most notably in the case of the parent compound Ru₂(ap)₄Cl. The isomerism of this compound has been overlooked in previous reports. Electrochemical studies demonstrate that oxidation potentials can be tuned by the installation of electron donating groups to the ligands, increasing accessibility of the Ru₂⁶⁺ oxidation state. The resulting Ru₂⁶⁺ monocations were found to have the expected (π*)² ground state, and an in-depth study of the electronic transitions by Vis/NIR absorption and MCD spectroscopies with the aid of TD-DFT allowed for the assignment of the electronic spectra. The empty δ* orbital is the major acceptor orbital for the most prominent electronic transitions. Both Ru₂⁵⁺ and Ru₂⁶⁺ compounds were studied by Ru K-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy; however, the rising edge energy is insensitive to redox changes in the compounds due to the broad line shape observed for 4d transition metal K-edges. DFT calculations indicate the presence of ligand orbitals at the frontier level, suggesting that further oxidation beyond Ru₂⁶⁺ will be ligand-centered rather than metal-centered.

Synthesis and characterization of bis-[PcRu(CO)][Ru2(ap)4(C≡CC5H4N)2]

A tetra-ruthenium complex containing two ruthenium(II) phthalocyanines and one metal–metal bonded diruthenium(III,III) unit was synthesized and investigated as to its electrochemical and spectroscopic properties in non-aqueous media. The title compound, represented as bis-[ PcRu ( CO )]-[ Ru 2( ap )4( C ≡ CC 5 H 4 N )2], where ap = 2-anilinopyridinate anion and Pc = the dianion of tetra-tert-butylphthalocyanine, was assembled by axial coordination of two PcRu ( CO ) macrocycles to pyridine groups of the complex which were themselves linked to the diruthenium(III,III) unit via alkyne groups. The tetra-ruthenium complex was characterized in solution and in the solid state by 1 H NMR, UV-visible and IR spectroscopies, mass spectrometry and cyclic voltammetry while thin-layer UV-visible spectroelectrochemistry was used to study the site of electron transfer. Eight redox processes occur in CH 2 Cl 2 or benzonitrile, four of which can be assigned to the macrocycles of PcRu ( CO ) and four to the central diruthenium unit of the molecule. The electrochemical and spectroscopic data suggest a weak electronic interaction between the diruthenium unit of [ Ru 2( ap )4( C ≡ CC 5 H 4 N )2] and the two externally linked Ru ( II ) phthalocyanines of the title compound.

Redox-rich spin-spin-coupled semiquinoneruthenium dimers with intense near-IR absorption

Using the [RuCl(μ-tppz)ClRu](2+) [tppz = 2,3,5,6-tetrakis(2-pyridyl)pyrazine] platform for bridging two o-quinone/catecholate two-step redox systems (unsubstituted, Q(n), or 3,5- di-tert-butyl-substituted, DTBQ(n)), we have obtained the stable complexes [(Q(•-))Ru(II)Cl(μ-tppz)ClRu(II)(Q(•-))] (1) and the structurally characterized [(DTBQ(•-))Ru(II)Cl(μ-tppz)ClRu(II)(DTBQ(•-))] (2). The compounds exhibit mostly quinone-ligand-based redox activity within a narrow potential range, high-intensity near-IR absorptions (λ(max) ≈ 920 nm; ε > 50,000 M(-1) cm(-1)), and variable intra- and intermolecular spin-spin interactions. Density functional theory calculations, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), and spectroelectrochemical results (UV-vis-near-IR region) for three one-electron-reduction and two one-electron-oxidation processes were used to probe the electronic structures of the systems in the various accessible valence states. EPR spectroscopy of the singly charged doublet species showed semiquinone-type response for 1(+), 2(+), and 2(-), while 1 exhibits more metal based spin, a consequence of the easier reduction of Q as compared to DTBQ. Comparison with the analogous redox series involving a more basic N-phenyliminoquinone ligand reveals significant differences related to the shifted redox potentials, different space requirements, and different interactions between the metals and the quinone-type ligands. As a result, the tppz bridge is reduced here only after full reduction of the terminal quinone ligands to their catecholate states.