Electrochemical and spectral probes of metal/ligand orbital mixing in Ru(NH3)4(bpy)2+ and Ru(NH3)4(phen)2+

The electrochemical examination and oscillator strength measurements of Ru(NH3)4(2, 2'-bipyridine)2+ and Ru(NH3)4(1,10-phenanthroline)2+ metal/ligand orbital mixing show differing experimental results. The electrochemical method detects a considerable degree of electronic delocalization while the spectral measurement detects less than two percent delocalization. However, a separate spectroscopic counter-study favors the results obtained from the electrochemical technique. This study shows that the electrochemical study of the two Ru compounds provides an accurate representation of metal/ligand orbital mixing and partial charge-transfer reactions.