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Updated: Mar 2, 2026

The Synthesis, Characterization and Reactivity of a Series of Ruthenium N-triphosPh Complexes
Published on: April 10, 2015
Formation of N-oxide in the third oxidation of [RuII(tpy)(L)(OH2)]2
Ying Wang1, Zilvinas Rinkevicius, Mårten S G Ahlquist
1Division of Theoretical Chemistry & Biotechnology, Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), SE-10691 Stockholm, Sweden. ahlqui@kth.se.
Abstract:
The widely studied water oxidation catalyst [RuII(tpy)(L)(OH2)]2+ (tpy = 2,2':6',2''-terpyridine, L = bpy = 2,2'-bipyridine or L = bpm = 2,2'-bipyrimidine) is still under scrutiny. Here we present a new suggestion for one of the key steps, results that could resolve conflicting interpretations of experimental results. Instead of the previously proposed RuV[double bond, length as m-dash]O species, a proposed key species in water oxidation catalysis, we propose that the third oxidation of RuII could lead to a RuIIIN-oxide, via rapid water coordination followed by oxidation and concerted N-O bond formation.
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