Crystal structure and physical properties of a ruthenium(II) bipyridine dimethylsulfoxide complex

The complex Ru(bpy)₂(DMSO)C1]PF₆, where bpy is 2,2-bipyridine and DMSO is dimethylsulfoxide, crystallizes in the triclinic space group P1¯ (#2) with a = 8.873 (2), b = 12.805 (4), c = 12.864 (4) Å, = 97.76(3), = 106.45(2), = 107.88(2); Z = 2, and d _calc = 1.75 mg/m³. The coordination geometry is that of a distorted octahedron with a cis –RuN₄SCl arrangement of coordinating atoms. The four Ru—N distances to the bpy ligands are 2.082(5), 2.092(4), 2.044(4), and 2.078(5) Å. The Ru—Cl distance is 2.421(2) Å and the Ru—S distance to DMSO is 2.260(1) Å. The Ru—N bond distance trans to Cl is the shortest; the Ru—N bond distance trans to S is the longest. The complex is oxidized and reduced reversibly at 1.13 and –1.37 V vs. SSCE, respectively. It displays electronic absorptions at 515, 480 (1.5 × 10⁴), 342 (1.5 × 10⁴), 292 (1.2 × 10⁵), and 240 nm (6.2 × 10⁴) and has a broad emission band centered at 607 nm at 77 K in a 4:1 ethanol/methanol glass. The emission lifetime at room temperature is less than the pulse width of the laser, < 20 ns.