Mono- and dinuclear ruthenium complexes of bridging ligands incorporating two di-2-pyridylamine motifs: Synthesis, spectroscopy and electrochemistry

Mono- and dinuclear ruthenium(II) complexes of six bridging ligands that contain a central arene (phenyl, naphthalenyl or biphenyl) core to which are attached two di-2-pyridylamine groups have been prepared. These complexes possess six-membered chelate rings. Full assignments of their 1H NMR spectra are described which provides insight into the comformations of the ligands in these complexes. The extent of metal–metal communication in the dinuclear complexes was probed by electrochemical measurements and related to metal–metal distances.

Graphical abstractReaction of a series of dinucleating ligands containing two di-2-pyridylamine subunits with [Ru(L)2Cl2] (where L = 2,2′-bipyridine or 4,4′-dimethyl-2,2′-bipyridine) gave mono- or dinuclear complexes that were characterised by NMR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, and absorption spectroscopy, and studied by cyclic voltammetry to probe metal–metal communication.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide