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Updated: Jun 28, 2025

The Synthesis, Characterization and Reactivity of a Series of Ruthenium N-triphosPh Complexes
Published on: April 10, 2015
Photophysical Studies of Helicate and Mesocate Double-Stranded Dinuclear Ru(II) Complexes
Xinyue Xu1,2, Samuel J P Marlton1, Kate L Flint3
1School of Chemistry, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia.
Abstract:
The metal-ligand charge transfer (3MLCT) and phosphorescence-quenching metal-centered (3MC) states of the helicate and mesocate diastereoisomers of a double-stranded dinuclear polypyridylruthenium(II) complex have been investigated using ultrafast transient absorption spectroscopy. At 294 K, transient signals of the helicate decayed significantly slower than those of the mesocate, whereas at 77 K, no clear contrast in kinetics was observed. Contributions to excited-state decay from high-lying 3MLCT states were identified at both temperatures. Spectroscopic data (294 K) suggest that the 3MC state of the helicate lies above the 3MLCT and that the reverse is true for the mesocate; this was further validated by density functional theory calculations. The stabilization of the 3MC state relative to the 3MLCT state in the mesocate was explained by a reduction in ligand field strength due to distortion near the ligand bridge, which causes further deviation from octahedral geometry compared to the helicate. This work illustrates how minor structural differences can significantly influence excited state dynamics.
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