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The new complexes (2-ferrocenyl)cyclopenta[l]-phenanthrene and (2-ferrocenyl)(eta(5)-cyclopenta[l]phenanthrenyl)FeCp have been prepared and the charge transfer properties of their monocationic derivatives investigated. The cations were generated by chemical oxidation using ferrocenium(BF4) or acetylferrocenium(BF4) as the oxidative agent and monitored in the visible, IR, and near-IR regions. The electrochemistry of the two complexes and, for comparison, of the previously reported (eta(5)-cyclopenta[l]phenanthrenyl)FeCp was analyzed. The charge transfer bands in the near-IR spectral region of the monocations are rationalized in the framework of Marcus-Hush theory. In particular, the monometallic (2-ferrocenyl)cyclopenta[l]phenanthrene displays a single oxidation wave at a potential very close to that of (eta(5)-cyclopenta[l]phenanthrenyl)FeCp and its monocations exhibits a ligand-to-metal charge transfer band in the visnear-IR region. The unsymmetrical diiron species (2-ferrocenyl)(eta(5)-cyclopenta[l]phenanthrenyl)FeCp undergoes two consecutive and well-resolved one-electron oxidations producing, at the first oxidation step, a mixed-valence monocation which displays an intervalence charge transfer band in the vis-near-IR region.

The synthesis, characterization, and electrochemical, photophysical, and photochemical properties of the binuclear compounds [(Ru(H-8-bpy)(2))(2)((Metr)(2)Pz)](PF6)(2) (1) and [(Ru(D-8-bpy)(2))(2)((Metr)(2)Pz)](PF6)(2) (2), where bpy is 2,2'-bipyridine and H-2(Metr)(2)Pz is the planar ligand 2,5-bis(5'-methyl-4'H-[1,2,4]triaz-3'-yl)-pyrazine, are reported. Electrochemical and spectro-electrochemical investigations indicate that the ground-state interaction between each metal center is predominantly electrostatic and in the mixed-valence form only a low level of ground-state delocalization is present. Resonance Raman, transient, and time-resolved spectroscopies enable a detailed assignment to be made of the excited-state photophysical properties of the complexes. Deuteriation is employed to both facilitate spectroscopic characterization and investigate the nature of the lowest excited states.

Five diruthenium(II) complexes [Cl(L)Ru(mu-tppz)Ru(L)Cl](1-5) containing differently substituted beta-diketonato derivatives (1: L = 2,4-pentanedionato; 2: L = 3,5-heptanedionato; 3: L = 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-3,5-heptanedionato; 4: L = 3-methyl-2,4-pentanedionato; 5: L = 3-ethyl-2,4-pentanedionato) as ancillary ligands (L) were synthesized and studied by spectroelectrochemistry (UV-Vis-NIR, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR)). X-ray structural characterisation revealed anti (1, 2, 5) or syn (3) configuration as well as non-planarity of the bis-tridentate tppz bridge and strong d pi(Ru-II) -> pi*(pyrazine, tppz) back-bonding. The widely separated one-electron oxidation steps, (RuRuII)-Ru-II/(RuRuIII)-Ru-II and (RuRuIII)-Ru-II/(RuRuIII)-Ru-III, result in large comproportionation constants (K-c) of >= 10(10) for the mixed-valent intermediates. The syn-configurated 3(n) exhibits a particularly high K-c of 10(12) for n = 1+, accompanied by density functional theory (DFT)-calculated minimum Ru-N bond lengths for this (RuRuIII)-Ru-II intermediate. The electrogenerated mixed-valent states 1(+)-5(+) exhibit anisotropic EPR spectra at 110 K with average values < g > of 2.304-2.234 and g anisotropies Delta g = g(1)-g(3) of 0.82-0.99. Metal-to-metal charge transfer (MMCT) absorptions occur for 1(+)-5(+) in the NIR region at 1660 nm-1750 nm (epsilon approximate to 2700 dm(3) mol(-1) cm(-1), Delta nu(1/2) approximate to 1800 cm(-1)). DFT calculations of 1(+) and 3(+) yield comparable Mulliken spin densities of about 0.60 for the metal ions, corresponding to valence-delocalised situations (Ru-2.5)(2). Rather large spin densities of about -0.4 were calculated for the tppz bridges in 1(+) and 3(+). The calculated electronic interaction values (V-AB) for 1(+)-5(+) are about 3000 cm(-1), comparable to that for the Creutz-Taube ion at 3185 cm(-1). The DFT calculations predict that the (RuRuIII)-Ru-III forms in 12(+)-52(+) prefer a triplet (S = 1) ground state with Delta E (S = 0 - S = 1) similar to 5000 cm(-1). One-electron reduction takes place at the tppz bridge which results in species [Cl(L)Ru-II(mu-tppz(.-)) Ru-II(L)Cl](-) (1(.-)-3(.-), 5(.-)) which exhibit free radical-type EPR signals and NIR transitions typical of the tppz radical anion. The system 4(n) is distinguished by lability of the Ru-Cl bonds.

The diruthenium(III) complex [(acac)(2)Ru(mu-L(2-))Ru(acac)(2)] (1) with acac(-) = acetylacetonato = 2,4-pentanedionato and a 2,5-pyrazine-dicarboxylato bridge, L(2-), has been obtained and structurally characterized as the rac (Delta Delta,Lambda Lambda) diastereomer. The Ru(III)Ru(III) configuration in 1 (d(Ru-au) = 6.799 angstrom) results in a triplet ground state (mu = 2.82/2 mu(B) at 300 K) with a density functional theory (DFT) calculated triplet-singlet gap of 10840 cm-and the metal ions as the primary spin-bearing centers (Mulliken spin densities: Ru, 1.711; L, 0.105; acac, 0.184). The paramagnetic 1 exhibits :broad, upfield shifted (1)H NMR signals with delta values ranging from -10 to -65 -65 ppm and an anisotropic electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), spectrum (< g > = 2.133, g(1) - g(3) = Delta g = 0.512), accompanied by a weak half-field signal at g = 4.420 in glassy frozen acetonitrile at 4 K Compound 1 displays two closely spaced oxidation steps to yield labile cations. In contrast, two well separated reversible reduction steps of 1 signify appreciable electrochemical metal-metal interaction in the Run Rum mixed-valent state 1(-) (K(c) approximate to 10(7)). The intermediate 1(-) shows a weak, broad Ru(II)-> Ru(III) intervalence charge transfer (IVCT) band at about 1040 nm (epsilon = 380 M(-1) cm(-1)); the DFT approach for 1(-) yielded Mulliken spin densities of 0.460 and 0.685 for the two metal centers. The monitoring of the frequencies of the uncoordinated C=O groups of L(2-) in 1" by IR spectroelectrochemistry suggests valence averaging (Ru(2.5)Ru(2.5)) in 1(-) on the vibrational time scale. The mixed-valent 1(-) displays a rhombic EPR signal (< g > = 2.239 and Delta g = 0.32) which reveals non-negligible contributions from the bridging ligand, reflecting a partial hole-transfer mechanism and being confirmed by the DFT-calculated spin distribution (Mulliken spin density of -0.241 for L in 1(-)). The major low energy electronic transitions in 1(n) (n = 0,-,2-) have been assigned as charge transfer processes with the support of TD-DFT analysis.