Electronic Structure of Ru26+ Complexes with Electron-Rich Anilinopyridinate Ligands

Diruthenium paddlewheel complexes supported by electron-rich anilinopyridinate (Xap) ligands were synthesized in the course of the first in-depth structural and spectroscopic interrogation of monocationic [Ru-2(Xap)(4)Cl](+) species in the Ru-2(6+) oxidation state. Despite paramagnetism of the compounds, H-1 NMR spectroscopy proved highly informative for determining the isomerism of the Ru-2(5+) and Ru-2(6+) compounds. While most compounds are found to have the polar (4,0) geometry, with all four Xap ligands in the same orientation, some synthetic procedures resulted in a mixture of (4,0) and (3,1) isomers, most notably in the case of the parent compound Ru-2(ap)(4)Cl. The isomerism of this compound has been overlooked in previous reports. Electrochemical studies demonstrate that oxidation potentials can be tuned by the installation of electron donating groups to the ligands, increasing accessibility of the Ru-2(6+) oxidation state. The resulting Ru-2(6+) monocations were found to have the expected (pi*)(2) ground state, and an in-depth study of the electronic transitions by Vis/NIR absorption and MCD spectroscopies with the aid of TD-DFT allowed for the assignment of the electronic spectra. The empty delta* orbital is the major acceptor orbital for the most prominent electronic transitions. Both Ru-2(6+) and Ru-2(6+) compounds were studied by Ru K-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy; however, the rising edge energy is insensitive to redox changes in the compounds due to the broad line shape observed for 4d transition metal K-edges. DFT calculations indicate the presence of ligand orbitals at the frontier level, suggesting that further oxidation beyond Ru-2(6+) will be ligand-centered rather than metal-centered.

Automated summary

In this study, diruthenium paddlewheel complexes supported by electron-rich anilinopyridinate (Xap) ligands were synthesized, and the first in-depth structural and spectroscopic analysis of monocationic [Ru-2(Xap)(4)Cl]+ species in the Ru-2(6+) oxidation state was conducted. H-1 NMR spectroscopy proved to be highly informative for determining the isomerism of the Ru-2(5+) and Ru-2(6+) compounds. Electrochemical studies demonstrated the tunability of oxidation potentials by installing electron donating groups to the ligands, increasing accessibility of the Ru-2(6+) oxidation state.