Intramolecular excited state quenching:: 5-[(E)-2-ferrocenylvinyl]-1,10-phenanthroline, a new donor ligand

The new 5-[(E)-2-ferrocenylvinyl]-1,10-phenanthroline ligand and its corresponding ruthenium complex were synthesized. In these compounds, the ferrocenyl moiety acts like an electron donor while the phenanthroline region acts as an acceptor. By irradiation with light of appropriate wavelength ferrocenyl to phenanthroline charge transfer absorption bands were observed. The ruthenium bis bipyridine complex formed with this new ligand shows no interaction between the Ru and Fe metal centers in the ground state. In the excited state, the absence of photoluminescence from the Ru center evidences a quenching process, probably of electron transfer nature. (c) 2005 Published by Elsevier Ltd.