A series
of heterobimetallic wire-like organometallic complexes
[(tpy-C6H4-R)(PPh3)2Ru–CC–Fc]+ (tpy-C6H4-R = 4′-(aryl)-2,2′:6′,2′′-terpyridyl,
Fc = [(η5-Cp)2Fe], R = -H, -Me, -F, -NMe2 in complexes 5–8, respectively)
featuring ferrocenyl and 4′-(aryl)-2,2′:6′,2′′-terpyridyl
ruthenium(II) complexes as redox active metal termini, have been synthesized.
Various spectroscopic tools, such as multinuclear NMR, IR spectra,
HRMS, CHN analyses, and single crystal X-ray crystallography have
been utilized to characterize the heterobimetallic complexes. The
electrochemical and UV–vis–NIR spectroscopic studies
have been investigated to evaluate the electronic delocalization across
the molecular backbones of the Ru(II)–Fe(II) heterobinuclear
organometallic dyads. Electrochemical studies reveal
two well-separated reversible redox waves as a result of successive
oxidation of the ferrocenyl and Ru(II) redox centers. The spin density
distribution analyses reveal that the initial oxidation process is
associated with the Fe(II)/Fe(III) couple followed by one electron
oxidation of the ruthenium(II) center. The high K
c value (0.11–1.73 × 1012) and
intense NIR absorption, with molar absorption coefficient (in the
order of 103 M–1 cm–1) for the RuIIFeIII mixed-valence species,
signify strong electronic communication between the two metal termini.
The electronic coupling constant (H
ab)
has been estimated to be 492 and 444 cm–1 for the
structurally characterized complexes 6 and 7, respectively. The redox and NIR absorption features indicate that
the mixed-valence system of the heterobinuclear dyads belongs to a Robin and Day “class II” system.