Synthesis and non-linear optical properties of (η5-pentaphenylcyclopentadienyl)dicarbonylruthenium(II) σ-alkenyl complexes

The complexes [Ru{(Z)-HCCHR}(CO)(L)(η5-C5Ph5)] (L = CO, R = Ph (1), 4-C6H4NO2 (2); L = PMe2Ph, R = 4-C6H4NO2 (3)) have been synthesized. Cyclic voltammetry confirms an increase in ease of oxidation on proceeding from 2 to 1 and from 2 to 3, hyper-Rayleigh scattering studies at 1064 nm reveal an increase in quadratic non-linearity on co-ligand replacement of CO by PMe2Ph, while Z-scan studies at 800 nm are consistent with significant contribution from two-photon states, and with an increase in γreal on co-ligand replacement of CO by PMe2Ph.