Photosubstitution
reactions of ruthenium complexes with pyrazole
ligands, cis-[Ru(bpy)2(pzH)2]2+ (1a), cis-[Ru(bpy)2(pz)(pzH)]+ (1b), and cis-[Ru(bpy)2(pz)2]0 (1c) (pzH = pyrazole, bpy = 2,2′-bipyridine), were investigated.
Dicationic complex 1a was deprotonated to 1b using moderate base (pK
a = 15.2, MeCN),
while the second deprotonation to give 1c required more
severe conditions (pK
a = 26.9). Monocationic
complex 1b possessed an N–H···N-type
intramolecular hydrogen bond between the pyrazole and pyrazolate ligands,
as corroborated by the solid-state crystal structure. The photosubstitution
quantum yield of 1a (Φ = 0.26) was comparable to
that of cis-[Ru(bpy)2(pyridine)2]2+ (Φ = 0.24) in acetonitrile solution. In contrast,
the photodissociation of a pzH ligand was strongly suppressed by the
deprotonation of a pyrazole ligand N–H group. In the presence
of 10 000 equiv of 4,4′-dimethylaminopyridine, the quantum
yield dropped to ∼2 × 10–6 in acetonitrile.
The photosubstitution quantum yield of 1b was even smaller
than that of neutral complex 1c, although 1c had a smaller HOMO–LUMO energy gap than monocationic complex 1b. The small quantum yield of 1b was attributed
to intramolecular hydrogen bonding between pyrazole and pyrazolate
ligands. The apparent rate constants for the photosubstitution of 1b were highly solvent-dependent. The photosubstitution of 1b was suppressed in aprotic solvents, while the reaction
was accelerated by 2 orders of magnitude in protic solvents with strong
proton donor abilities.