Preparation and Photophysical Properties of Amide-Linked, Polypyridylruthenium-Derivatized Polystyrene.

The polymer poly(4{2-[N,N-bis(trimethylsilyl)amino]ethyl}styrene), prepared by anionic polymerization and of low polydispersity (M(w)/M(n) = 1.10-1.18), has been derivatized by amide linkage to Ru(II)(bpy)(2)(4-(CO-)-4'-CH(3)-bpy)- (bpy is 2,2'-bipyridine; 4-(CO-)-4'-CH(3)-bpy is 4-carbonyl-4'-methyl-2,2'-bipyridine). Unreacted amine sites were converted into acetamides by treatment with acetic anhydride to give derivatized polymers of general formula PS-CH(2)CH(2)NHCO(Ru(II)(n)()Me(m)())(2)(n)(), where m + n = 11, 18, or 25, PS represents the polystyrene backbone, and Ru(II) and Me represent the attached complex and acetamide, respectively. Spectral and electrochemical properties of the derivatized polymers are similar to those of the model Ru(bpy)(2)(4-CONHCH(2)CH(2)C(6)H(5)-4'-CH(3)-bpy) (4-CONHCH(2)CH(2)C(6)H(5)-4'-CH(3)-bpy is 4'-methyl-2,2'-bipyridinyl-4-(2-phenylethylamide)), but emission quantum yields (phi(em)) and time-resolved emission decays are slightly dependent on the level of Ru(II) loading, with nonexponential, irradiation-dependent decays appearing at high loadings. The decays could be fitted satisfactorily to the first derivative of the Williams-Watts distribution function. These results are discussed with reference to possible structural and multichromophoric effects on excited-state decay.