Phototriggered sulfoxide isomerization in [Ru(pic)2(dmso)2

We report the characterization and photochemistry of a simple ruthenium coordination complex containing only picolinate (pic) and dmso, which exhibits a large isomerization quantum yield (Phi(SS-->OO) = 0.50) in various solvents. The picolinate ligands of [Ru(pic)(2)(dmso)(2)] are in a cis arrangement so that the carboxylate oxygen of one pic ligand (O1) is trans to the pyridine of the second picolinate (N2). One dmso ligand (S1) is trans to a pyridine nitrogen (N1), while the second dmso (S2) is trans to a carboxylate oxygen (O3). The cyclic voltammetry, (1)H NMR, IR, and UV-vis spectroscopy data suggest that while both dmso ligands isomerize photochemically, only one dmso ligand isomerizes electrochemically. Isomerization quantum yields for each dmso ligand differ by an order of magnitude (Phi(SS-->SO) = 0.46 and Phi(SO-->OO) = 0.036). In agreement with previous results, the isomerization quantum yield for each dmso is dependent on the ligand that is trans to the dmso.