The complexes meso- and rac-[(acac)2Ru(mu-L)Ru(acac)2]n, 1 and 2, where L(2-) = 1,4-dioxido-2,3-bis(3,5-dimethylpyrazol-1'-yl)benzene and acac- = 2,4-pentanedionato, were characterized structurally, magnetically, electrochemically, and spectroscopically as well as spectroelectrochemically (UV-vis-NIR, EPR) in the accessible redox states (n = 0, +, -, 2-). Due to steric interference, the neutral compounds contain a severely twisted L(2-) bridging ligand with 43-48 degree dihedral angles between the planes of the hydroquinone dianion and those of the ortho positioned pyrazolyl substituents. The difference between meso and rac isomers is rather pronounced in terms of the redox potentials (easier oxidation and reduction of the rac form 2) and with respect to the absorption spectra of the oxidized states. Susceptibility and EPR measurements confirm the {Ru(III)(mu-L(2-))Ru(III)} configuration of the neutral species, showing J values of -37 and -21 cm(-1) for the spin-spin interaction between the ca. 7.75 A separated metal centers in 1 and 2, respectively. Two-step reduction involves the metals and produces Ru(III)Ru(II) mixed-valent monoanions with comproportionation constants of ca. 10(4), with Ru(III)-type EPR signals, and with broad intervalence charge transfer bands at about 1200-1500 nm absorption maximum, suggesting localized valence (class II). Oxidation produces intense near-infrared absorption at 892 (1+) or 1027 nm (2+) and narrow isotropic EPR spectra at g approximately 2.005, signifying unprecedented spin localization at the p-semiquinone bridge. These results are not compatible with an (L(2-))-bridged {Ru(IV)Ru(III)} situation nor with an {Ru(III)(mu-L(*-))Ru(III)} three-spin arrangement with up-down-up spin configuration in the ground state, which would result in metal-centered spin through antiferromagnetic coupling between the adjacent individual spins. Only the {Ru(III)(mu-L(*-))Ru(III)} situation, with up-up-down spin configuration, leads to ligand-centered resulting spin through the strong antiferromagnetic coupling between the remote metal spins, an unusual situation which is favored here because of weakened metal-radical coupling resulting from the pyrazolyl/p-semiquinone twist.

Coordination compounds [Ru(acac)(2)(Q)] (acac=acetylacetonate; Q=o-benzoquinone) were prepared as complexes 1 (Q=o-benzoquinone), 2 (Q=3-methoxy-o-benzoquinone), 3 (Q=4-methyl-o-benzoquinone), and 4 (Q=3,5-di-tert-butyl-o-benzoquinone). The structures of 1 and 2 were determined to reveal a Ru(III)/o-benzosemiquinone formulation, supported by analysis of experimental data (spectroscopy, magnetism of 1) and by DFT calculations. The S=1 ground state calculated for 1 stands in contrast to the spin-paired analogues with arylimino-o-benzosemiquinonato and diimino-o-benzoquinone ligands. The close contacts of about 5.3 Å possible between semiquinone O atoms of different molecules in the crystal allow for intermolecular spin-spin interactions and an overall complex magnetic behavior. One quasireversible oxidation and two reversible one-electron reductions yielded the corresponding molecular ions, which were characterized by UV-visible-NIR and EPR spectroelectrochemistry in terms of [Ru(III)(acac)(2)(Q(0))](+) , [Ru(III)(acac)(2)(Q(2-))](-), and [Ru(II)(acac)(2)(Q(2-))](2-) descriptions in agreement with DFT results. The use of acceptor-substituted 1,2-dioxolenes resulted in the isolation of ionic species Na[Ru(acac)(2)(Q)] (Na(5); Q=4-chloro-o-benzoquinone) and Na(6) (Q=4-nitro-o-benzoquinone), which were similarly investigated as compounds 1-4. Magnetic susceptibility and EPR results confirm an S=1/2 ground state based on ruthenium(III). The combined studies reveal a remarkable substituent sensitivity, and in comparison to recently analyzed Ru(acac)(2) complexes with o-benzoquinone monoimine and diimine ligands, the all-O-donor-containing new systems are distinguished by a qualitatively different metal-ligand interaction based on closer intermolecular radical-radical contacts and on weaker intramolecular dπ-π* interactions.

Meso- and rac-configurated diastereoisomers [Ru(2)(acac)(4)(mu-Q)] have been separated and identified as Ru(II)-Q(0) species through a crystal structure analysis of the meso form. The presence of two redox-active {Ru(acac)(2)} groups (acac(-) = 2,4-pentanedionate) and quinonoid Q with two equivalent pi-conjugated alpha-diimine chelate sites and one p-quinone function allowed for the full cyclic voltammetric and spectroelectrochemical (UV-vis-NIR, IR, EPR) characterisation of the five accessible states (2-, 1-, 0, 1+ and 2+ forms) for both isomers. Oxidation occurs at the metal ions to produce Ru(II)Ru(III) mixed-valent states [Ru(2)(acac)(4)(mu-Q)](+) (K(c) approximately 10(4.5)) with corresponding EPR features but without detectable intervalence absorption in the near infrared region. IR-spectroelectrochemistry reveals opposite frequency shifts for the nu(C=O) and nu(NH) stretching vibrations on reduction and oxidation, in agreement with the assumed electronic structure. Reduction leads to strongly stabilised [Ru(2)(acac)(4)(mu-Q)](-) states (K(c) approximately 10(11)) which show weak NIR shoulders around 1040 nm. The EPR characteristics are remarkably different for the two isomeric monoanions, reflecting presumably flexible geometry and electronic structure. The observation of broad but detectable EPR resonance at room temperature in solution and the g factor anisotropy in the glassy frozen state at 110 K suggest a rather evenly metal-ligand mixed singly occupied MO. Together with the ZINDO calculations and the partial experimental results reported previously by Masui et al. (Inorg. Chem., 2000, 39, 141) for [Ru(2)(bpy)(4)(mu-Q)](n+) (n = 2, 3, 4), the characteristic differences provide an insight into the electronic features such as mixed valency manifestations and the variable extent of mixing of the metal-quinone frontier orbitals of these systems involving Ru(II)-stabilised Q which is unknown as a free ligand.