Chemistry of Ruthenium Polypyridine Complexes: IX. Nitro-Nitrosyl Equilibrium in cis-[Ru(2,2'-bpy)2(L)NO2]+ Complexes

Ruthenium(II) bisbipyridyl complexes cis-[Ru(bpy)₂(L)NO₂](BF₄) (bpy is 2,2'-bipyridyl) with 4-substituted pyridine ligands L = 4-(Y)py (Y = NH₂, Me, Ph, and CN) were obtained. The equilibrium constants of the reversible nitro-nitrosyl transition [Ru(bpy)₂(L)NO₂]⁺ + 2H⁺ [Ru(bpy)₂(L)NO]^{3 +} + H₂O were measured in solutions with pH 1.5-8.5 (ionic strength 0.4). The constants correlate with the protonation constants of free ligands 4-(Y)py.