Cavan N. Fleming

Ground and excited state structural isomers in trans-[Ru(bpy)2(L)2](PF6)2

Abstract Spectroscopic evidence is presented for different structural isomers of trans -[Ru(bpy) 2 (L 1 )(L 1 )] 2+ (L 1 or L 2 =4-Etpy ( 1 ), py-PTZ) in which bpy is planar or nonplanar compared to cis -[Ru(bpy) 2 (py) 2 ] 2+ or [Ru(bpy) 3 ] 2+ in which bpy is planar. The nonplanar form is dominant in the ground states in low temperature glasses. The two forms appear to be in a temperature dependent equilibrium in 4:1 (v/v) ethanol/methanol at higher temperatures. The nonplanar form is converted into the planar form in the MLCT excited state(s) of 1 .