Syntheses and material applications of Ru(II)(bisphosphine)2 alkynyls

Abstract

Described in this review are the synthetic methods to produce both mono- and bis-alkynyl Ru(II)(L-L)2 type complexes, where L-L is dppe, dppm, or dmpe. This synthetic tool kit encompasses reactions utilizing trimethylstannyl capped reagents, Ru-alkyl starting materials, or the 16 e− [RuCl(dppe)2]+ intermediate to produce the desired Ru(II)(L-L)2 alkynyl complexes. Advantages and drawbacks of each synthetic approach are touched upon. A brief overview of material applications of these complexes is also provided, highlighting their promises as efficient non-linear optical materials, wire-like molecules, molecular wires and switches, and active molecules in dye-sensitized solar cells.