Light Activated Release of Nitrile Ligands from -Ru(L)(PPh)(nitrile) Complexes.

A series of -RuL(PPh)(nitrile) and {RuL(PPh)}.-μ-(nitrile)-based complexes [where L = 2,2'-(3,4-diphenyl-pyrrole-2,5-diyl)dipyridine (dpp), di(pyridin-2-yl)isoindoline-1,3-diimine (bpi), or 4-(4-methoxyphenyl)-6-phenyl-2,2'-bipyridine (Pbpy); and nitrile = 1,4-dibenzontirile, 4-ethynylbenzonitrile, or dicyanamide] were synthesized and characterized, and their electrochemical and photochemical behaviors were investigated. Those complexes that contained a significant nitrile contribution to their MLLCT show a release of their nitrile ligand (when L = dpp or Pbpy and the nitrile ligand = 4-dibenzontirile, or 4-ethynylbenzonitrile) with dissociation constants up to 8.09 × 10 s.