High electrical conductivity for the partially oxidised d8 Ru–Ru bonded chain [Ru(bpy)(CO)2]n (bpy = 2,2′-bipyridine) and its wide range redox control

High, electrochemically controlled electrical conductivity (0.2–0.3 S cm−1) was measured for the first time for the metal–metal bonded polymeric compound [Ru(bpy)(CO)2]n (bpy = 2,2′-bipyridine). The conductivity depended on the degree of partial oxidation of the initially zero-valent Ru to RuI in the chains and was found to increase by four orders of magnitude after 5% oxidative doping. Linear conductance vs. doping level dependence was found for low levels and the conductivity of films could repeatedly be switched on and off. The conduction process is ascribed to charge delocalisation on the Ru chains in analogy to that of other similar chains formed by stacking of planar transition metal d8 complexes.