Probing the potential of N-heterocyclic carbenes in molecular electronics: redox-active metal centers interlinked by a rigid ditopic carbene ligand

Mercs, Laszlo; Neels, Antonia; Albrecht, Martin

doi:10.1039/b809721f

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Probing the potential of N-heterocyclic carbenes in molecular electronics: redox-active metal centers interlinked by a rigid ditopic carbene ligand

Mercs, Laszlo Department of Chemistry, University of Fribourg, Switzerland
Neels, Antonia Institute of Microtechology, University of Neuchâtel, Switzerland
Albrecht, Martin Department of Chemistry, University of Fribourg, Switzerland

22.09.2008

Published in:

Dalton Transactions. - 2008, vol. 41, p. 5570-5576

English Bimetallic homonuclear iron(II) and ruthenium(II) N-heterocyclic carbene complexes have been synthesized and crystallographically analyzed. As a spacer ligand for interconnecting the two redox-active metal centers, a ditopic carbene ligand has been used that comprises two carbene sites annelated to benzene. Detailed electrochemical and spectroelectrochemical analyses of the bimetallic systems revealed that despite the potentially π-delocalized nature of the ditopic ligand, the iron centers are only moderately coupled. In the ruthenium complexes, the intermetallic interactions are very weak and the centers are electrochemically nearly independent. A model is proposed for rationalizing these observations which is based on (i) relatively weak charge delocalization in the spacer ligand and (ii) on electrostatic factors governing the metal–carbene bond.

Faculty

Faculté des sciences et de médecine

Department

Département de Chimie

Language