Heteroleptic tris-chelates of ruthenium(II): synthesis, spectral characterisation and electrochemical properties.

A facile reaction of cis-trans-cis-RuCl(2)(RaaiR')(2) [RaaiR'=1-alkyl-2-(arylazo)imidazole, m-R-C(6)H(4)-NN-C(3)H(2)-NN-1-R', where R=H (a), OMe (b), NO(2) (c) and R'=Me (1), Et (2) and CH(2)Ph (3)] either with 2,2'-bipyridine (bpy) and AgNO(3) followed by NaClO(4) or Ag(bpy)(2) in boiling acetone has isolated red-brown Ru(bpy)(RaaiR')(2)(2) (1a-c, 2a-c, 3a-c). The maximum molecular peak of Ru(bpy)(OMeaaiMe)(2)(2) (1b) is observed at m/z 888.01 (100%) in the FAB mass spectrum. IR spectra of the complexes show CN and NN stretching at 1590 and 1370cm(-1) which is red shifted by 40 and 90cm(-1) from the free ligand value supports Ru-azo nitrogen pi bonding interaction. The emission spectra in frozen glass (77K) are sharper and considerably more intense than the room temperature spectra. The (1)H NMR spectral measurements suggest methylene, -CH(2)-, in RaaiEt gives a complex AB type multiplet while in RaaiCH(2)Ph it shows AB type quartets. Considering two arylazoimidazole moieties there are 20 different carbon atoms in the molecule which gives a total of 20 different peaks in the (13)C NMR spectrum. In the (1)H-(1)H COSY spectrum of the present complexes, absence of any off-diagonal peaks extending from delta=14.12 and 9.55ppm confirm their assignment of no proton on N(1) and N(3), respectively. Contour peaks in the (1)H-(13)C HMQC spectrum in the present complexes, the absence of any contours at delta=147.12, 160.76, 155.67 and 157.68 ppm assign them to the C(2), C(6), C(8) and C(e and e'') carbon atoms, respectively. Cyclic voltammogram shows Ru(III)/Ru(II) redox couple along with three successive ligand reductions. The plot of difference in potential of first oxidation and reduction versus energy of main MLCT band (nu(CT)) is linear. Electrochemical parametrisation of Ru(III)/Ru(II) redox couple determines ligand potential E(L)(L).