Ruthenium , 2,2 -bipyridine complex redox reaction

Some platinum metals, especially ruthenium but also rhenium, osmium, and iridium, form luminescent complexes with nitrogen-containing ligands, e.g., 2,2 -bipyridine (bpy). These complexes may participate in redox reactions with concomitant chemiluminescence in three different ways. 

Abstract Photoredox catalysis by well-known nithenium(II) polypyridine complexes is a versatile tool for redox reactions in synthetic organic chemistry, because they can effectively catalyze single-electron-transfer (SET) processes by irradiation with visible light. These favorable properties of the catalysts provide a new strategy for efficient and selective radical reactions. Salts of tris(2,2 -bipyridine)mthenium (II), [Ru(bpy)3], were first reported in 1936. Since then, anumber of works related to artificial photosynthesis and photofunctional materials have been reported, but only limited efforts had been devoted to synthetic organic chemistry. Remarkably, since 2008, this photocatalytic system has gained importance in redox reactions. In this chapter, we will present a concise review of seminal works on ruthenium photoredox catalysis around 2008, which will be followed by our recent research topics on trifluoromethylation of alkenes by photoredox catalysis. 

Photocatalytic enantioselective oxidative arylic coupling reactions have been investigated by two different groups. Both studies involved the use of ruthenium-based photocatalysts [142, 143]. In 1993, Hamada and co-workers introduced a photostable chiral ruthenium tris(bipyridine)-type complex (A-[Ru(menbpy)3]2+) 210 possessing high redox ability [143]. The catalytic cycle also employed Co(acac)3 211 to assist in the generation of the active (A-[Ru(menbpy)3]3+) species 212. The authors suggested that the enantioselection observed upon binaphthol formation was the result of a faster formation of the (R)-enantiomer from the intermediate 213 (second oxidation and/or proton loss), albeit only to a rather low extent (ee 16 %) (Scheme 54). 

Related molecular dyads have been constructed in which a metal complex, often ruthenium(II) tris(2,2 -bipyridine) or similar, functions as chromophore and an appended organic moiety acts as redox partner. Other systems " have been built from two separate metal complexes. Each of these systems shows selective intramolecular electron transfer under illumination. Rates of charge separation and recombination have been measured in each case and, on the basis of transient spectroscopic studies, the reaction mechanism has been elucidated. The results are of extreme importance for furthering our understanding of electron-transfer reactions and for developing effective molecular-scale electronic devices. The field is open and still highly active. 

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