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Abstract
Two new binuclear ruthenium alkynyl complexes with dithienylethene unit [{(MePh-tpy)(PPh3)2RuCl}2(C≡C−DTE−C≡C)](ClO4)2 (II-1) and [Cp*Ru(dppe)]2(C≡C−DTE−C≡C) (II-2) (Cp* = pentamethylcyclopentadienyl); (DTE = 1,2-bis(2-methylthiophen-3-yl)cyclopentene) were synthesized. Their structures were well confirmed by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and elemental analysis. Their photochromic behaviors and redox properties have also been investigated. The results indicated that the binuclear ruthenium alkynyl complexes II possessed photochromic activity similar to organic DTE derivatives. Electrochemical studies showed that the open-ring isomers of the metal complexes could be triggered by electricity to convert to their closed forms. These investigations clearly suggested that two complexes can be considered as a class of light- and electro-triggered multifunctional molecule switches.