Synthesis and Characterization of bis-(Diimine)-Carbonyl-Pyridine-Osmium(II) Complexes
Elise G. Megehee, Department of Chemistry, St. John’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Abstract: Osmium metal complexes are of interest as they exhibit visible luminescence upon excitation with visible or ultraviolet light and as such are possible models of photosynthetic reaction center, possible energy and electron transfer agents, and possible photochemical or electrochemical reaction catalysts. Over the past year, my students and I have synthesized a series bis-(diimine)-carbonyl osmium(II) complexes containing pyridine, 4-phenylpyridine and 5-pyridyl-10,15,20-triphenylporphyrinato ligands. We will discuss the synthesis and initial characterization of these compounds by cyclic voltammetry, 1H, NMR, and UV-visible absorbance spectroscopies. These compounds could be used as photosensitizers in photochemical electron transfer, emission based sensors for DNA, probes of DNA structure, and energy transfer agents that model part of the photosynthetic process.