Properties of 2-, 3-, and 4-acetylpyridine substituted ruthenium(II) bis(bipyridine) complexes: substituent effect on the electronic structure, spectra, and photochemistry of the complex

Abstract

Bis(2,2′-bipyridine) complexes of ruthenium(II) with 2-, 3-, and 4-acetylpyridine derivatives were synthesized and structurally characterized. The effect of changing the location of the pyridine's acetyl substituent was studied experimentally and theoretically to clarify the effect of substituent position on the chemical behavior and photochemical properties of the complex. The substituent position on the heterocyclic-pyridine was found to strongly affect the chemical and photochemical properties of the complex. Variation of the position of the substituent, and thus ligand modification brought by as a consequence of this variation, offers possibilities to design complexes of desired structural and photochemical properties.

Keywords:

• Ruthenium(II)
• 2,2′-Bipyridine
• Acetylpyridine
• Substituent effect
• Position effect

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by Yarmouk University, Faculty of Graduate Studies and Scientific Research. We acknowledge the support by the Department of Chemistry at Jordan University of Science and Technology (JUST) in providing necessary equipment to complete this work. We also thank the Emirates Foundation Group for supporting this work at the American University of Sharjah.