ELECTRONIC-SPECTRA AND PHOTOCHEMISTRY OF TRICHLOROSTANNYL COMPLEXES OF RUTHENIUM(II) AND OSMIUM(II)

The absorption spectra and photochemistry of trichlorostannyl complexe s [M(SnCl3)(6)](4-), [M(SnCl3)(5)Cl](4-) and [M(SnCl3)(5)](3-)(M = Ru, Os; AN = acetonitrile) in acetonitrile were investigated. In view of the similarity of all absorption spectra it is suggested that the lowe st energy transitions are largely of the intraligand type. The photoly sis of these complexes in acetonitrile leads to substitutions of SnCl3 - or in the case of [Ru(SnCl3)(6)](4-) to a ligand fragmentation as pr imary photoreactions. Owing to secondary processes [M(SnCl3)(4)(AN)(2) ](2-) is the terminal product of all the photoreactions. It is assumed that the photoreactions are initiated by intraligand excitation.