Synthesis of mononuclear and dinuclear ruthenium(II) tris(heteroleptic) complexes via photosubstitution in bis(carbonyl) precursors.

A novel, and quite general, approach for the preparation of tris(heteroleptic) ruthenium(II) complexes is reported. Using this method, which is based on photosubstitution of carbonyl ligands in precursors such as [Ru(bpy)(CO)(2)Cl(2)] and Ru(bpy)(Me(2)bpy)(CO)(2)(2), mononuclear and dinuclear Ru(II) tris(heteroleptic) polypyridyl complexes containing the bridging ligands 3,5-bis(pyridin-2-yl)-1,2,4-triazole (Hbpt) and 3,5-bis(pyrazin-2-yl)-1,2,4-triazole (Hbpzt) have been prepared. The complexes obtained were purified by column chromatography and characterized by HPLC, mass spectrometry, 1H NMR, absorption and emission spectroscopy and by electrochemical methods. The X-ray structures of the compounds Ru(bpy)(Me(2)bpy)(bpt)x0.5C(4)H(10)O [1x0.5C(4)H(10)O], Ru(bpy)(Me(2)bpy)(bpzt)xH(2)O (2xH(2)O) and Ru(bpy)(Me(2)bpy)(CH(3)CN)(2)(2)xC(4)H(10)O (6xC(4)H(10)O) are reported. The synthesis and characterisation of the dinuclear analogues of 1 and 2, {Ru(bpy)(Me(2)bpy)}(2)bpt(3)x2H(2)O (3) and {Ru(bpy)(Me(2)bpy)}(2)bpzt(3) (4), are also described.