New Adventures in Osmium and Ruthenium Bipyridyl Chemistry
Elise G. Megehee, St. John’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Department of Chemistry
Abstract: Ruthenium and osmium complexes are well known for their use in technologies that involve the absorption of light, such as solar cells, photoactive catalysts, and sensors. We are attempting to synthesize a new class of luminescent osmium and ruthenium complexes and study their photo-luminescent properties. The ruthenium complexes include two 2,2’-bipyridine (bpy) ligands and one bis-n-heterocyclic dicarbene ligand.1 The osmium complexes are of the form [Os(bpy)2CO(R)](PF6) where R = an alkyl group. These latter compounds are of interest as they form two isomers in one synthesis, the ratio of which appears to be temperature dependent. We will discuss the syntheses and characterization of these compounds.
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1In collaboration with Dr. Richard J. Rosso