Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 4, 2026
The Synthesis, Characterization and Reactivity of a Series of Ruthenium N-triphosPh Complexes
Published on: April 10, 2015
Synthesis, characterization, and photoresponsive properties of a series of Mo(IV)-Cu(II) complexes
Wen Zhang1, Hao-Ling Sun, Osamu Sato
1Ordered Matter Science Research Center, Southeast University, Nanjing, 211189, Jiangsu, China. zhangwen@seu.edu.cn
Abstract:
Six Mo(IV)-Cu(II) complexes, [Cu(tpa)](2)[Mo(CN)(8)]·15H(2)O (1, tpa = tris(2-pyridylmethyl)amine), [Cu(tren)](2)[Mo(CN)(8)]·5.25H(2)O (2, tren = tris(2-aminoethyl)amine), [Cu(en)(2)][Cu(0.5)(en)][Cu(0.5)(en)(H(2)O)][Mo(CN)(8)]·4H(2)O (3, en = ethylenediamine), [Cu(bapa)](3)[Mo(CN)(8)](1.5)·12.5H(2)O (4, bapa = bis(3-aminopropyl)amine), [Cu(bapen)](2)[Mo(CN)(8)]·4H(2)O (5, bapen = N,N'-bis(3-aminopropyl)ethylenediamine), and [Cu(pn)(2)][Cu(pn)][Mo(CN)(8)]·3.5H(2)O (6, pn = 1,3-diaminopropane), were synthesized and characterized. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction analyses show that 1-6 have different structures varying from trinuclear clusters (1-2), a one-dimensional belt (3), two-dimensional grids (4-5), to a three-dimensional structure (6). Magnetic and ESR measurements suggest that 1-6 exhibit thermally reversible photoresponsive properties on UV light irradiation through a Mo(IV)-to-Cu(II) charge transfer mechanism. A trinuclear compound [Cu(II)(tpa)](2)[Mo(V)(CN)(8)](ClO(4)) (7) was synthesized as a model of the photoinduced intermediate.
![[(DPEPhos)(bcp)Cu]PF6: A General and Broadly Applicable Copper-Based Photoredox Catalyst](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcloudfront.jove.com%2FCDNSource%2Fteasers%2F59739.jpg&w=3840&q=50)
Related Concept Videos
03:02Colors and Magnetism
When atoms or molecules absorb light at the proper frequency, their electrons are excited to higher-energy orbitals. For many main group atoms and molecules, the absorbed photons are in the ultraviolet range of the electromagnetic spectrum, which cannot be detected by the human eye. For coordination compounds, the energy difference between the d orbitals often allows photons in the visible range to be absorbed and emitted, which is seen as colors by the human eye.
01:12Cycloaddition Reactions: MO Requirements for Photochemical Activation
02:42Valence Bond Theory
02:34Structural Isomerism
Isomers are different chemical species that have the same chemical formula. Structural isomerism of coordination compounds can be divided into two subcategories, the linkage isomers and coordination-sphere isomers.
Linkage isomers occur when the coordination compound contains a ligand that can bind to the transition metal center through two different atoms. For example, the CN− ligand can bind through the carbon atom or through the nitrogen atom. Similarly, SCN− can be...
02:58Properties of Transition Metals
02:58Crystal Field Theory - Octahedral Complexes
To explain the observed behavior of transition metal complexes (such as colors), a model involving electrostatic interactions between the electrons from the ligands and the electrons in the unhybridized d orbitals of the central metal atom has been developed. This electrostatic model is crystal field theory (CFT). It helps to understand, interpret, and predict the colors, magnetic behavior, and some structures of coordination compounds of transition metals.
CFT focuses on...