Electrochemical reduction of Fe(2)(mu-pdt)(CO)(6) 1 (pdt = propane-1,3-dithiolate) leads initially to a short-lived species, 1-, then subsequently to two-electron reduced products, including a CO-bridged diiron compound, 1B. The assignment of the redox level of 1- is based on EPR and UV-vis spectra together with the observation that a CO-saturated solution of 1- decays to give 1 and 1B. Hydride reduction of 1 also results in formation of 1B via a relatively long-lived formyl species, 1(formyl). Despite its involvement in hydride transfer reactions, 1B is formulated as [Fe(2)(mu-S(CH(2))(3)SH)(mu-CO)(CO)(6)](-) based on a range of spectroscopic measurements together with the Fe-Fe separation of 2.527 A (EXAFS). Electrocatalytic proton reduction in the presence of 1 in moderately strong acids has been examined by electrochemical and spectroelectrochemical techniques. The acid concentration dependence of the voltammetry is modeled by a mechanism with two electron/proton additions leading to 1H(2), where dissociation of dihydrogen leads to recovery of 1. Further reduction processes are evident at higher acid concentrations. Whereas free CO improves the reversibility of the electrochemistry of 1, CO inhibits electrocatalytic proton reduction, and this occurs through side reactions involving a dimeric species formed from 1-.

The known complex {Cp(PPh3)2Ru}2(μ-C⋮CC⋮C) (3-Ph) and its PMe3-substitution product {Cp(PPh3)(PMe3)Ru}2(μ-C⋮CC⋮C) (3-Me) have been shown by cyclic voltammetry to undergo a series of four stepwise one-electron oxidation processes. Successive oxidation potentials (V) for the first three reversible processes of 3-Ph (3-Me) are −0.23 (−0.26), +0.41 (+0.33), and +1.03 (+0.97); the fourth, irreversible oxidation at +1.68 (+1.46) V is accompanied by chemical transformation followed by further oxidation. Chemical oxidation of 3-Ph with 1 or 2.5 equiv of AgPF6 in CH2Cl2/1,2-dimethoxyethane gave the one- and two-electron oxidized species [3-Ph][PF6] and [3-Ph][PF6]2, respectively. The chemical and electrochemical studies have been complemented by a series of detailed spectroelectrochemical experiments to obtain spectral data associated with the 3 n + (n = 0−4) species from 1500 to 40 000 cm-1, without necessitating the isolation of each individual species. Theoretical techniques have been employed in order to probe the structure of the conjugated all-carbon ligand at each stage of oxidation. Both the metal centers and the carbon atoms of the C4 bridge are affected, with removal of electrons housed in MOs delocalized over all atoms of the Ru−C4−Ru chain. Comparison of models with different ligand surroundings suggests that molecules containing strong electron-donating ligands should be more easily oxidized.