Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 21, 2026

The Synthesis, Characterization and Reactivity of a Series of Ruthenium N-triphosPh Complexes
Published on: April 10, 2015
Time-resolved spectroscopy of a photoactive dinuclear W/Ru complex: spectroscopic evidence for a metastable
Jan-Hendrik Borter1, Sayan Kangsa Banik1, Kristian Kunze2,3
1Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences Am Fassberg 11 37077 Göttingen Germany dschwar@mpinat.mpg.de.
Abstract:
The photo-induced dynamics of a redox-active dinuclear W(ii)/Ru(ii) complex, [Tp*W(CO)Br(PyC[triple bond, length as m-dash]CCH2)-Ru(bpy)2](PF6) (2-PF6), is revealed by femtosecond infrared and UV-vis pump-probe spectroscopy in combination with quantum chemical calculations. The use of the mononuclear tungsten alkyne complex [Tp*W(CO)Br(PyC[triple bond, length as m-dash]CCH3)] (1) as a benchmark allowed an in-depth analysis of the excited state kinetics of 2-PF6. Excitation of the dinuclear complex at 400 nm produces predominantly a triplet metal-to-ligand charge transfer state localised at the Ru(bpy)2 chromophore (3MLCTbpy) with a lifetime of 6 ps. The following transformation into a tungsten-centered triplet state (3MCW) is accompanied by significant charge transfer and rearrangement of the W-C-O geometry. Subsequent intersysten crossing back to the ground state on a timescale of 12 ps produces a vibrationally excited molecule with up to 3 quanta in the CO stretching vibration. A minor fraction of 10% of the population reacts to an intermediate exhibiting a lifetime of 140 ps and a CO stretching frequency of 1703 cm-1. Our quantum chemical calculations disclose that this species corresponds to an isomer trapped in a metastable state of the S0 potential surface, with the CO bound side-on to the W centre.
More Related Videos
07:11ARL Spectral Fitting as an Application to Augment Spectral Data via Franck-Condon Lineshape Analysis and Color Analysis
Published on: August 19, 2021
10:03Proton Transfer and Protein Conformation Dynamics in Photosensitive Proteins by Time-resolved Step-scan Fourier-transform Infrared Spectroscopy
Published on: June 27, 2014
Related Concept Videos
UV–Vis Spectroscopy of Conjugated Systems
One of the factors influencing λmax is...
Photochemical Electrocyclic Reactions: Stereochemistry
Selection Rules: Photochemical Activation
Crystal 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...
The Photochemical Reaction Center
UV–Vis Spectroscopy: Molecular Electronic Transitions
Raman Spectroscopy: Overview
However, a small fraction of the scattered light exhibits a frequency shift due to the exchange of energy between the incident photons and...