Hydrogen-bonded assemblies of ruthenium(ii)-biimidazole complex cations and cyanometallate anions: structures and photophysics

Abstract

The complex cations [RuL₂(H₂biim)]²⁺ (L = bipy, 4,4′-^tBu₂-bipy) interact with cyanometallate anions via a chelating hydrogen-bonding interaction between the two N–H donors of the complex cation and the N lone pair of one cyanide ligand in the complex anion; the anion hexacyanoferrate(III) quenches the Ru(II)-based luminescence in CH₂Cl₂ solution by photoinduced electron-transfer within the H-bonded assembly, whereas hexacyanocobaltate(III) enhances the Ru(II)-based luminescence.