A series
of ruthenium acetylide complexes [Ru(BPI)(PPh3)2(CCR)] (BPI = 1,3-bis(2-pyridylimino)isoindolate;
R = −C6H5 (2), −Cp2Fe (3a), −C6H4C6H4CCCp2Fe (3b))
and bis(acetylide)-linked binuclear ruthenium complexes [{Ru(BPI)(PPh3)2}2(CCRCC)] (R = none
(4), 1,4-benzenediyl (5), 1,4-naphthalenediyl
(6), 9,10-anthracenediyl (7)) were synthesized
and characterized by ESI-MS spectrometry, IR, 1H and 31P NMR, and UV–vis–near-IR spectroscopy, and
cyclic and differential pulse voltammetry. Oxidation of 3–7 with 1 equiv of ferrocenium perchlorate afforded
the corresponding one-electron-oxidized complexes 3
+–7
+. In contrast to the case
for 3a
+
, where spin density is
localized at the Fe center due to moderate electronic communication
between RuII and FeIII centers along the Ru–CC–Cp2Fe backbone, the spin density is primarily populated on Ru
for 3b
+
without an appreciable
electronic interaction between RuIII and FeII across the quite long bridging system RuCCC6H4C6H4CCCp2Fe. For
bis(acetylide)-linked binuclear ruthenium complexes 4–7, electrochemical, UV–vis–near-IR
spectral and TD-DFT computational studies reveal that electronic delocalization
along the bridging RuCCRCCRu backbone is highly dependent
on the R spacer. It is demonstrated that with the gradual increase
of a π-conjugated system in aromatic R spacer, the electronic
delocalization shows progressive enhancement along the Ru–CCRCC–Ru
backbone due to an increasing participation of the bridging ligand. 4
+ displays highly electronically delocalized behavior,
whereas 5
+–7
+ are on the borderline of electronic delocalization.