Effects of Structural Constraints on Excited-State Properties in Dimeric Cu(I) Diimine Complexes.

Copper(I) bis-diimine complexes have played important roles in light-activated processes that can lead to their potential applications in photocatalysis and chemical sensing. Their metal-to-ligand charge-transfer (MLCT) excited-state properties are tunable by various structural factors. Dimeric Cu(I) complexes with connecting diimine derivative ligands offer another structural tuning platform for the excited-state properties. Here, we investigate excited-state properties in two covalently connected dimeric Cu(I)'s with varying structural constraints exerted by the number of carbons in the polyethylene bridge (C0 and C4) connecting the two copper(I) diimine moieties. An interesting feature of Cu(I) diimine complexes is their ability to flatten following a photoinduced structural change. Herein, we observe larger structural constraints and more structural rearrangement required upon excitation of the longer bridged complex C4 to achieve a conformation toward a more flattened tetrahedral coordination geometry compared to the shorter bridged C0. Vibrational wavepacket analysis of these complexes further supports the effect of these structural constraints where we observe a more rapid dephasing of the C0 complex, as opposed to the C4 complex, despite similar normal mode vibrations. The experimental results were supplemented by TDDFT calculations. The studies provide insight into using metal-metal interactions through constraints to tune excited-state dynamics and pathways.

Revisiting Dinuclear Ruthenium Water Oxidation Catalysts: Effect of Bridging Ligand Architecture on Catalytic Activity.

An attractive catalytic pathway for the conversion of water to oxygen would involve two metal oxide centers combining in a constructive sense to make O═O. This prospect makes the study of certain dinuclear transition metal complexes particularly attractive. In this work, we describe the design and synthesis of two symmetrical bis-tridentate polypyridine ligands 6 and 12 that bind two RuII centers at a separation of 3.6 Šin 7 and 5.7 Šin 13. In the presence of CeIV at pH = 1, these systems oxidize water with the system having the more proximal metals being more reactive. In the case of the more proximal metal centers, the bridging ligand is a 3,6-disubstituted pyridazine which, under the influence of CeIV, cleaves into two [Ru(bpc)(pic)2CH3CN]+ fragments (14) which then function as the actual catalyst (bpc = 2,2'-bipyridine-6-carboxylate, pic = 4-methylpyridine). The second dinuclear catalyst contains a central pyrimidine ring which is less sensitive to oxidative decay and hence less reactive. Caution is advised in the use of CeIV as a sacrificial electron acceptor due to unexpected oxidative decay of the catalyst.

Uncovering the Role of Oxygen Atom Transfer in Ru-Based Catalytic Water Oxidation.

The realization of artificial photosynthesis carries the promise of cheap and abundant energy, however, significant advances in the rational design of water oxidation catalysts are required. Detailed information on the structure of the catalyst under reaction conditions and mechanisms of O-O bond formation should be obtained. Here, we used a combination of electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), stopped flow freeze quench on a millisecond-second time scale, X-ray absorption (XAS), resonance Raman (RR) spectroscopy, and density functional theory (DFT) to follow the dynamics of the Ru-based single site catalyst, [RuII(NPM)(4-pic)2(H2O)]2+ (NPM = 4-t-butyl-2,6-di(1',8'-naphthyrid-2'-yl)pyridine, pic = 4-picoline), under the water oxidation conditions. We report a unique EPR signal with g-tensor, gx = 2.30, gy = 2.18, and gz = 1.83 which allowed us to observe fast dynamics of oxygen atom transfer from the RuIV═O oxo species to the uncoordinated nitrogen of the NPM ligand. In few seconds, the NPM ligand modification results in [RuIII(NPM-NO)(4-pic)2(H2O)]3+ and [RuIII(NPM-NO,NO)(4-pic)2]3+ complexes. A proposed [RuV(NPM)(4-pic)2═O]3+ intermediate was not detected under the tested conditions. We demonstrate that while the proximal base might be beneficial in O-O bond formation via nucleophilic water attack on an oxo species as shown by DFT, the noncoordinating nitrogen is impractical as a base in water oxidation catalysts due to its facile conversion to the N-O group. This study opens new horizons for understanding the real structure of Ru catalysts under water oxidation conditions and points toward the need to further investigate the role of the N-O ligand in promoting water oxidation catalysis.

Iron Complexes of Square Planar Tetradentate Polypyridyl-Type Ligands as Catalysts for Water Oxidation.

The tetradentate ligand, 2-(pyrid-2'-yl)-8-(1″,10″-phenanthrolin-2″-yl)-quinoline (ppq) embodies a quaterpyridine backbone but with the quinoline C8 providing an additional sp(2) center separating the two bipyridine-like subunits. Thus, the four pyridine rings of ppq present a neutral, square planar host that is well suited to first-row transition metals. When reacted with FeCl3, a µ-oxo-bridged dimer is formed having a water bound to an axial metal site. A similar metal-binding environment is presented by a bis-phenanthroline amine (dpa) which forms a 1:1 complex with FeCl3. Both structures are verified by X-ray analysis. While the Fe(III)(dpa) complex shows two reversible one-electron oxidation waves, the Fe(III)(ppq) complex shows a clear two-electron oxidation associated with the process H2O-Fe(III)Fe(III) → H2O-Fe(IV)Fe(IV) → O═Fe(V)Fe(III). Subsequent disproportionation to an Fe═O species is suggested. When the Fe(III)(ppq) complex is exposed to a large excess of the sacrificial electron-acceptor ceric ammonium nitrate at pH 1, copious amounts of oxygen are evolved immediately with a turnover frequency (TOF) = 7920 h(-1). Under the same conditions the mononuclear Fe(III)(dpa) complex also evolves oxygen with TOF = 842 h(-1).

Ruthenium catalysts for water oxidation involving tetradentate polypyridine-type ligands.

A series of Ru(II) complexes that behave as water oxidation catalysts were prepared involving a tetradentate equatorial ligand and two 4-substituted pyridines as the axial ligands. Two of these complexes were derived from 2,9-di-(pyrid-2'-yl)-1,10-phenanthroline (dpp) and examine the effect of incorporating electron-donating amino and bulky t-butyl groups on catalytic activity. A third complex replaced the two distal pyridines with N-methylimidazoles that are more electron-donating than the pyridines of dpp and potentially stabilize higher oxidation states of the metal. The tetradentate ligand 2-(pyrid-2'-yl)-6-(1'',10''-phenanthrol-2''-yl)pyridine (bpy-phen), possessing a bonding cavity similar to dpp, was also prepared. The Ru(II) complex of this ligand does not have two rotatable pyridines in the equatorial plane and thus shows different flexibility from the [Ru(dpp)] complexes. All the complexes showed activity towards water oxidation. Investigation of their catalytic behavior and electrochemical properties suggests that they may follow the same catalytic pathway as the prototype [Ru(dpp)pic2](2+) involving a seven-coordinated [Ru(IV)(O)] intermediate. The influence of coordination geometry on catalytic performance is analyzed and discussed.

Light-Driven Proton Reduction in Aqueous Medium Catalyzed by a Family of Cobalt Complexes with Tetradentate Polypyridine-Type Ligands.

A series of tetradentate 2,2':6',2″:6″,2‴-quaterpyridine-type ligands related to ppq (ppq = 8-(1″,10″-phenanthrol-2″-yl)-2-(pyrid-2'-yl)quinoline) have been synthesized. One ligand replaces the 1,10-phenanthroline (phen) moiety of ppq with 2,2'-bipyridine and the other two ligands have a 3,3'-polymethylene subunit bridging the quinoline and pyridine. The structural result is that both the planarity and flexibility of the ligand are modified. Co(II) complexes are prepared and characterized by ultraviolet-visible light (UV-vis) and mass spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry, and X-ray analysis. The light-driven H2-evolving activity of these Co complexes was evaluated under homogeneous aqueous conditions using [Ru(bpy)3](2+) as the photosensitizer, ascorbic acid as a sacrificial electron donor, and a blue light-emitting diode (LED) as the light source. At pH 4.5, all three complexes plus [Co(ppq)Cl2] showed the fastest rate, with the dimethylene-bridged system giving the highest turnover frequency (2125 h(-1)). Cyclic voltammograms showed a significant catalytic current for H2 production in both aqueous buffer and H2O/DMF medium. Combined experimental and theoretical study suggest a formal Co(II)-hydride species as a key intermediate that triggers H2 generation. Spin density analysis shows involvement of the tetradentate ligand in the redox sequence from the initial Co(II) state to the Co(II)-hydride intermediate. How the ligand scaffold influences the catalytic activity and stability of catalysts is discussed, in terms of the rigidity and differences in conjugation for this series of ligands.

Visible light-driven hydrogen evolution from water catalyzed by a molecular cobalt complex.

An approximately planar tetradentate polypyridine ligand, 8-(1″,10″-phenanthrol-2″-yl)-2-(pyrid-2'-yl)quinoline (ppq), has been prepared by two sequential Friedländer condensations. The ligand readily accommodates Co(II) bearing two axial chlorides, and the resulting complex is reasonably soluble in water. In DMF the complex shows three well-behaved redox waves in the window of 0 to -1.4 V (vs SHE). However in pH 7 buffer the third wave is obscured by a catalytic current at -0.95 V, indicating hydrogen production that appears to involve a proton-coupled electron-transfer event. The complex [Co(ppq)Cl2] (6) in pH 4 aqueous solution, together with [Ru(bpy)3]Cl2 and ascorbic acid as a sacrificial electron donor, in the presence of blue light (λmax = 469 nm) produces hydrogen with an initial TOF = 586 h(-1).

Component analysis of dyads designed for light-driven water oxidation.

A series of seven dyad molecules have been prepared utilizing a [Ru(tpy)(NN)I](+) type oxidation catalyst (NN = 2,5-di(pyrid-2'-yl) pyrazine (1), 2,5-di-(1',8'-dinaphthyrid-2'-yl) pyrazine (2), or 4,6-di-(1',8'-dinaphthyrid-2'-yl) pyrimidine (3). The other bidentate site of the bridging ligand was coordinated with 2,2'-bipyridine (bpy), 1,10-phenanthroline (phen), or a substituted derivative. These dinuclear complexes were characterized by their (1)H NMR spectra paying special attention to protons held in the vicinity of the electronegative iodide. In one case, 10a, the complex was also analyzed by single crystal X-ray analysis. The electronic absorption spectra of all the complexes were measured and reported as well as emission properties for the sensitizers. Oxidation and reduction potentials were measured and excited state redox properties were calculated from this data. Turnover numbers, initial rates, and induction periods for oxygen production in the presence of a blue LED light and sodium persulfate as a sacrificial oxidant were measured. Similar experiments were run without irradiation. Dyad performance correlated well with the difference between the excited state reduction potential of the photosensitizer and the ground state oxidation potential of the water oxidation dyad. The most active system was one having 5,6-dibromophen as the auxiliary ligand, and the least active system was the one having 4,4'-dimethylbpy as the auxiliary ligand.

New water oxidation chemistry of a seven-coordinate ruthenium complex with a tetradentate polypyridyl ligand.

The mononuclear ruthenium(II) complex [Ru](2+) (Ru = Ru(dpp)(pic)2, where dpp is the tetradentate 2,9-dipyrid-2'-yl-1,10-phenanthroline ligand and pic is 4-picoline) reported by Thummel's group (Inorg. Chem. 2008, 47, 1835-1848) that contains no water molecule in its primary coordination shell is evaluated as a catalyst for water oxidation in artificial photosynthesis. A detailed theoretical characterization of the energetics, thermochemistry, and spectroscopic properties of intermediates allowed us to interpret new electrochemical and spectroscopic experimental data, and propose a mechanism for the water oxidation process that involves an unprecedented sequence of seven-coordinate ruthenium complexes as intermediates. This analysis provides insights into a mechanism that generates four electrons and four protons in the solution and a gas-phase oxygen molecule at different pH values. On the basis of the calculations and corroborated substantially by experiments, the catalytic cycle goes through [(2)Ru(III)](3+) and [(2)Ru(V)(O)](3+) to [(1)Ru(IV)(OOH)](3+) then [(2)Ru(III)(···(3)O2)](3+) at pH 0, and through [(3)Ru(IV)(O)](2+), [(2)Ru(V)(O)](3+), and [(1)Ru(IV)(OO)](2+) at pH 9 before reaching the same [(2)Ru(III)(···(3)O2)](3+) species, from which the liberation of the weakly bound O2 might require an additional oxidation to form [(3)Ru(IV)(O)](2+) to initiate further cycles involving all seven-coordinate species.

Ultrafast structural dynamics of Cu(I)-bicinchoninic acid and their implications for solar energy applications.

In this study, ultrafast optical transient absorption and X-ray transient absorption (XTA) spectroscopy are used to probe the excited-state dynamics and structural evolution of copper(I) bicinchoninic acid ([Cu(I)(BCA)2](+)), which has similar but less frequently studied biquinoline-based ligands compared to phenanthroline-based complexes. The optical transient absorption measurements performed on the complex in a series of polar protic solvents demonstrate a strong solvent dependency for the excited lifetime, which ranges from approximately 40 ps in water to over 300 ps in 2-methoxyethanol. The XTA experiments showed a reduction of the prominent 1s → 4pz edge peak in the excited-state X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) spectrum, which is indicative of an interaction with a fifth ligand, most likely the solvent. Analysis of the extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectrum shows a shortening of the metal-ligand bond in the excited state and an increase in the coordination number for the Cu(II) metal center. A flattened structure is supported by DFT calculations that show that the system relaxes into a flattened geometry with a lowest-energy triplet state that has a dipole-forbidden transition to the ground state. While the short excited-state lifetime relative to previously studied Cu(I) diimine complexes could be attributed to this dark triplet state, the strong solvent dependency and the reduction of the 1s → 4pz peak in the XTA data suggest that solvent interaction could also play a role. This detailed study of the dynamics in different solvents provides guidance for modulating excited-state pathways and lifetimes through structural factors such as solvent accessibility to fulfill the excited-state property requirements for efficient light harvesting and electron injection.

Exploitation of long-lived 3IL excited states for metal-organic photodynamic therapy: verification in a metastatic melanoma model.

Members of a family of Ru(II)-appended pyrenylethynylene dyads were synthesized, characterized according to their photophysical and photobiological properties, and evaluated for their collective potential as photosensitizers for metal-organic photodynamic therapy. The dyads in this series possess lowest-lying (3)IL-based excited states with lifetimes that can be tuned from 22 to 270 µs in fluid solution and from 44 to 3440 µs in glass at 77 K. To our knowledge, these excited-state lifetimes are the longest reported for Ru(II)-based dyads containing only one organic chromophore and lacking terminal diimine groups. These excited states proved to be extremely sensitive to trace amounts of oxygen, owing to their long lifetimes and very low radiative rates. Herein, we demonstrate that (3)IL states of this nature are potent photodynamic agents, exhibiting the largest photocytotoxicity indices reported to date with nanomolar light cytotoxicities at very short drug-to-light intervals. Importantly, these new agents are robust enough to maintain submicromolar PDT in pigmented metastatic melanoma cells, where the presence of melanin in combination with low oxygen tension is known to compromise PDT. This activity underscores the potential of metal-organic PDT as an alternate treatment strategy for challenging environments such as malignant melanoma.

A Ru(II) bis-terpyridine-like complex that catalyzes water oxidation: the influence of steric strain.

The complexation of 2,9-dicarboxy-1,10-phenanthroline (DPA) with [Ru(tpy)Cl3] (tpy = 2,2';6,2″-terpyridine) provides a six-coordinate species in which one carboxyl group of DPA is not bound to the Ru(II) center. A more soluble tri-t-butyl tpy analogue is also prepared. Upon oxidation, neither species shows evidence for intramolecular trapping of a seven-coordinate intermediate. The role of the tpy ligand is revealed by the preparation of [Ru(tpy)(phenq)](2+) (phenq = 2-(quinol-8'-yl)-1,10-phenanthroline) that behaves as an active water oxidation catalyst (TON = 334). This activity is explained by the expanded coordination geometry of the phenq ligand that can form a six-membered chelate ring that better accommodates the linear arrangement of axial ligands required for optimal pentagonal bipyramid geometry. When a 1,8-naphthyidine ring is substituted for each of the two peripheral pyridine rings on tpy, increased crowding in the vicinity of the metal center impedes acquisition of the prerequisite reaction geometry.

Water oxidation with mononuclear ruthenium(II) polypyridine complexes involving a direct Ru(IV)═O pathway in neutral and alkaline media.

The catalytic water oxidation mechanism proposed for many single-site ruthenium complexes proceeds via the nucleophilic attack of a water molecule on the Ru(V)═O species. In contrast, Ru(II) complexes containing 4-t-butyl-2,6-di-1',8'-(naphthyrid-2'-yl)-pyridine (and its bisbenzo-derivative), an equatorial water, and two axial 4-picolines follow the thermodynamically more favorable "direct pathway" via [Ru(IV)═O](2+), which avoids the higher oxidation state [Ru(V)═O](3+) in neutral and basic media. Our experimental and theoretical results that focus on the pH-dependent onset catalytic potentials indicative of a PCET driven low-energy pathway for the formation of products with an O-O bond (such as [Ru(III)-OOH](2+) and [Ru(IV)-OO](2+)) at an applied potential below the Ru(V)═O/Ru(IV)═O couple clearly support such a mechanism. However, in the cases of [Ru(tpy)(bpy)(OH2)](2+) and [Ru(tpy)(bpm)(OH2)](2+), the formation of the Ru(V)═O species appears to be required before O-O bond formation. The complexes under discussion provide a unique functional model for water oxidation that proceeds by four consecutive PCET steps in neutral and alkaline media.

Enabling light-driven water oxidation via a low-energy RuIV=O intermediate.

The discovery of catalysts capable of driving water oxidation at relatively low overpotential is a key challenge for efficient photoinduced water oxidation. The mononuclear Ru(II) polypyridyl complex (1) [Ru(NPM)(H2O)(pic)2](2+) (NPM = 4-tert-butyl-2,6-di-(1',8'-naphthyrid-2'-yl)-pyridine, pic = 4-picoline) has been examined as a catalyst for visible-light-driven water oxidation in a three-component homogeneous system containing [Ru(bpy)3](2+) as a photosensitizer, persulfate as a sacrificial electron acceptor and catalyst 1. In contrast to the well-established water oxidation mechanism via the nucleophilic attack of a water molecule on the high-energy [Ru(V)=O](3+) species, a lower-energy "direct pathway" for O-O bond formation via a [Ru(IV)=O](2+) intermediate was proposed for the first time for the catalyst 1 (Polyansky et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2011, 133, 14649). In this report we successfully demonstrate that this unique proton-coupled low-energy pathway actually takes place with the use of a mild oxidant such as the photogenerated [Ru(bpy)3](3+) (1.26 V vs. NHE) to drive water oxidation. The overall quantum yield of 9%, TOF of 0.12 s(-1) and TON of 103 (limited solely by a drop in pH) were found for photochemical water oxidation with 1 using [Ru(bpy)3](2+) as a photosensitizer and [S2O8](2-) as a sacrificial electron acceptor. These values render catalyst 1 as one of the most active mononuclear ruthenium-based catalysts for light-driven water oxidation in a homogeneous system. The utilization of a pH-dependent pathway for water oxidation is a new and promising direction as a low-energy pathway. Furthermore, the detailed analysis of individual photochemical steps leading to O2 evolution provides benchmarks for future mechanistic studies of photo-induced water oxidation catalysis.

A molecular light-driven water oxidation catalyst.

Two mononuclear Ru(II) complexes, [Ru(ttbt)(pynap)(I)]I and [Ru(tpy)(Mepy)(2)(I)]I (tpy = 2,2';6,2"-terpyridine; ttbt = 4,4',4"-tri-tert-butyltpy; pynap = 2-(pyrid-2'-yl)-1,8-naphthyridine; and Mepy = 4-methylpyridine), are effective catalysts for the oxidation of water. This oxidation can be driven by a blue (λ(max) = 472 nm) LED light source using [Ru(bpy)(3)]Cl(2) (bpy = 2,2'-bipyridine) as the photosensitizer. Sodium persulfate acts as a sacrificial electron acceptor to oxidize the photosensitizer that in turn drives the catalysis. The presence of all four components, light, photosensitizer, sodium persulfate, and catalyst, are required for water oxidation. A dyad assembly has been prepared using a pyrazine-based linker to join a photosensitizer and catalyst moiety. Irradiation of this intramolecular system with blue light produces oxygen with a higher turnover number than the analogous intermolecular component system under the same conditions.

trans-[Ru(II)(dpp)Cl2]: a convenient reagent for the preparation of heteroleptic Ru(dpp) complexes, where dpp is 2,9-di(pyrid-2'-yl)-1,10-phenanthroline.

The reaction of 2,9-di(pyrid-2'-yl)-1,10-phenanthroline (dpp) with [RuCl(3)·3H(2)O] or [Ru(DMSO)(4)Cl(2)] provides the reagent trans-[Ru(II)(dpp)Cl(2)] in yields of 98 and 89%, respectively. This reagent reacts with monodentate ligands L to replace the two axial chlorides, affording reasonable yields of a ruthenium(II) complex with dpp bound tetradentate in the equatorial plane. The photophysical and electrochemical properties of the tetradentate complexes are strongly influenced by the axial ligands with electron-donating character to stabilize the ruthenium(III) state, shifting the metal-to-ligand charge-transfer absorption to lower energy and decreasing the oxidation potential. When the precursor trans-[Ru(II)(dpp)Cl(2)] reacts with a bidentate (2,2'-bipyridine), tridentate (2,2';6,2''-terpyridine), or tetradentate (itself) ligand, a peripheral pyridine on dpp is displaced such that dpp binds as a tridentate. This situation is illustrated by an X-ray analysis of [Ru(dpp)(bpy)Cl](PF(6)).

Further observations on water oxidation catalyzed by mononuclear Ru(II) complexes.

A family of 28 mononuclear Ru(II) complexes have been prepared and characterized by (1)H NMR, electronic absorption, and cyclic voltammetry. These complexes are studied as catalysts for water oxidation. All the catalysts possess one tridentate ligand, closely related to 2,2';6,2''-terpyridine (tpy) and may be divided into two basic types. In the type-1 catalyst, the three remaining coordination sites are occupied by a bidentate closely related to 2,2'-bipyridine (bpy) and a monodentate halogen (Br, Cl, or I) or water molecule. In the type-2 catalyst, the three remaining coordination sites are occupied by two axial 4-picoline molecules and an equatorial halogen or water. In general the type-2 catalysts are more reactive than the type-1. The type-2 iodo-catalyst shows first-order behavior and, unlike the bromo- and chloro-catalysts, does not require water-halogen exchange to show good activity. The importance of steric strain and hindrance around the metal center is examined. The introduction of three t-butyl groups at the 4, 4', and 4'' positions of tpy sometimes improves catalyst activity, but the effect does not appear to be additive.

Water oxidation by a mononuclear ruthenium catalyst: characterization of the intermediates.

A detailed characterization of intermediates in water oxidation catalyzed by a mononuclear Ru polypyridyl complex [Ru(II)-OH(2)](2+) (Ru = Ru complex with one 4-t-butyl-2,6-di-(1',8'-naphthyrid-2'-yl)-pyridine ligand and two 4-picoline ligands) has been carried out using electrochemistry, UV-vis and resonance Raman spectroscopy, pulse radiolysis, stopped flow, and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) with H(2)(18)O labeling experiments and theoretical calculations. The results reveal a number of intriguing properties of intermediates such as [Ru(IV)═O](2+) and [Ru(IV)-OO](2+). At pH > 2.9, two consecutive proton-coupled one-electron steps take place at the potential of the [Ru(III)-OH](2+)/[Ru(II)-OH(2)](2+) couple, which is equal to or higher than the potential of the [Ru(IV)═O](2+)/[Ru(III)-OH](2+) couple (i.e., the observation of a two-electron oxidation in cyclic voltammetry). At pH 1, the rate constant of the first one-electron oxidation by Ce(IV) is k(1) = 2 × 10(4) M(-1) s(-1). While pH-independent oxidation of [Ru(IV)═O](2+) takes place at 1420 mV vs NHE, bulk electrolysis of [Ru(II)-OH(2)](2+) at 1260 mV vs NHE at pH 1 (0.1 M triflic acid) and 1150 mV at pH 6 (10 mM sodium phosphate) yielded a red colored solution with a Coulomb count corresponding to a net four-electron oxidation. ESI-MS with labeling experiments clearly indicates that this species has an O-O bond. This species required an additional oxidation to liberate an oxygen molecule, and without any additional oxidant it completely decomposed slowly to form [Ru(II)-OOH](+) over 2 weeks. While there remains some conflicting evidence, we have assigned this species as (1)[Ru(IV)-η(2)-OO](2+) based on our electrochemical, spectroscopic, and theoretical observations alongside a previously reported analysis by T. J. Meyer's group (J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2010, 132, 1545-1557).

Effects of a proximal base on water oxidation and proton reduction catalyzed by geometric isomers of [Ru(tpy)(pynap)(OH2)]2+.

Basic difference: The importance of a pendent base in promoting proton-coupled electron-transfer reactions with low activation barriers has been discussed for H(+) reduction or H(2) oxidation in acetonitrile. Investigation of the interaction between a base positioned in the second coordination sphere of a complex and a water ligand in water oxidation reactions using geometric isomers of [Ru(tpy)(pynap)(OH(2))](2+) (see picture) gave intriguing results.

Eu(III) complexes of tetradentate ligands related to 2,9-di(pyrid-2'-yl)-1,10-phenanthroline and 2,2'-bi-1,10-phenanthroline.

A series of six tetradentate polypyridine-type ligands (L) have been used to prepare the corresponding Eu(III) complexes [Eu(L)(2)(S)](n+) (n = 2, 3) where S = H(2)O or CF(3)SO(3)(-). Two of the ligands, 2,9-di(pyrid-2'-yl)-1,10-phenanthroline (4) and its dipyridophenazine analogue (6) are symmetrical around a central phenanthroline ring. The other four ligands are 2,2'-bi-1,10-phenanthroline and its 3,3'-di-, tri-, and tetramethylene-bridged analogues (5a-d) whose conformations are governed by the length of the polymethylene bridge. (1)H NMR and X-ray analysis indicate that all of the complexes have a C(2v) symmetry. The biphenanthroline series shows a strong correlation of the conjugation between the two halves of the ligand, as governed by the bridge, with the absorption and emission properties of the Eu(III) complex. The complex having the most distorted, tetramethylene-bridged ligand exhibits a weak, high energy pi-pi* absorption and low sensitization efficiency. The luminescence decays are monoexponential for complexes of 4 and either monoexponential or biexponential for the complexes of 5 depending on its solution concentration and the length of the bridge. The complexes of 4 exhibit much longer lifetime, higher overall quantum yield, and higher sensitization efficiency than complexes of 5 while the complex of 6 emits very weakly. The Eu((5)D(0)) lifetime for [Eu(4)(2)(H(2)O)](ClO(4))(3) is shorter than for [Eu(4)(2)(CF(3)SO(3))](CF(3)SO(3))(2), reflecting the effect of the coordinated water. The complexes are examined for stability in the presence of water and found to retain most of their luminescent properties even in the presence of a large excess of water.