Chemistry of 2-(arylazo)phenolate complexes of ruthenium. Synthesis, structure and reactivities

Abstract

A group of six ruthenium(III) complexes of type [Ru(acac)(L)₂]where acac=acetylacetonate anion and L=2-(arylazo)-4-methylphenolate anion or 1-(phenylazo)-2-naphtholate anion have been synthesized and characterized Structural characterization of a representative complex where L=1-(phenylazo)-2-naphtholate anionshows that the azophenolate ligands are coordinated as NO-donor ligands forming six-membered chelate rings The complexes are paramagnetic (low-spin d⁵S=1/2) and show rhombic ESR spectra in 1¦1 dichloromethane-toluene solution at 77 K In carbon tetrachloride solution these complexes show intense LMCT transitions in the visible region together with weak ligand-field transitions in the near-IR region All the complexes display two cyclic voltammetric responses a ruthenium(III)-ruthenium(IV) oxidation in the range of 083 to 103 V vs SCE and a ruthenium(III)-ruthenium(II) reduction in the range of -024 to -052 V vs SCE Formal potentials of both the couples correlate linearly with the Hammett constant of the para substituent in the arylazo fragment of the 2-(arylazo)-4-methylphenolate ligand The ruthenimn(IV) and ruthenium(II) congeners of the [Ru^III(acac)(L)₂] complexes have been generated by chemical or electrochemical methods and they have been characterized by electronic spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry.