Kohler Lars, Kaveevivitchai Nattawut, Zong Ruifa, Thummel Randolph P
Department of Chemistry, University of Houston , 112 Fleming Building, Houston, Texas 77204-5003, United States.
Inorg Chem. 2014 Jan 21;53(2):912-21. doi: 10.1021/ic4022905. Epub 2013 Dec 23.
A series of seven dyad molecules have been prepared utilizing a Ru(tpy)(NN)I type oxidation catalyst (NN = 2,5-di(pyrid-2'-yl) pyrazine (1), 2,5-di-(1',8'-dinaphthyrid-2'-yl) pyrazine (2), or 4,6-di-(1',8'-dinaphthyrid-2'-yl) pyrimidine (3). The other bidentate site of the bridging ligand was coordinated with 2,2'-bipyridine (bpy), 1,10-phenanthroline (phen), or a substituted derivative. These dinuclear complexes were characterized by their (1)H NMR spectra paying special attention to protons held in the vicinity of the electronegative iodide. In one case, 10a, the complex was also analyzed by single crystal X-ray analysis. The electronic absorption spectra of all the complexes were measured and reported as well as emission properties for the sensitizers. Oxidation and reduction potentials were measured and excited state redox properties were calculated from this data. Turnover numbers, initial rates, and induction periods for oxygen production in the presence of a blue LED light and sodium persulfate as a sacrificial oxidant were measured. Similar experiments were run without irradiation. Dyad performance correlated well with the difference between the excited state reduction potential of the photosensitizer and the ground state oxidation potential of the water oxidation dyad. The most active system was one having 5,6-dibromophen as the auxiliary ligand, and the least active system was the one having 4,4'-dimethylbpy as the auxiliary ligand.
