Dinuclear bis(terpyridine)ruthenium(II) complexes by amide coupling of ruthenium amino acids: Synthesis and properties

► Two novel redox-asymmetric amide-bridged bis(terpyridine)ruthenium(II) complexes with Ru(II)-Ru(II) distances of 17.7 and 13.4 Å. ► 1MLCT absorption at 496 nm and 522 nm. ► 3MLCT emission at 692 nm and 750 nm. ► Two distinct Ru(II, III) oxidation potentials with splitting of 0.10 V and 0.23 V. ► Chemical oxidation with Ce(IV) yields valence localized Ru(II)-Ru(III) complexes.