A simple route to bis(terpyridyl)transition metal oligomers

Coupling of the aniline group in the heteroleptic bis(terpyridyl)ruthenium( II) complex ion, [Ru(terpy)(L-1)](2+) (L-1 = 4'-(4-anilino)-2,2':6',2 "-ter pyridine), with 4'-(4-chlorocarboxyphenyl)-2,2':6',2 "-terpyridine provides a high yield route to a bis(terpyridyl)ruthenium(II) complex ligand, [Ru(t erpy)(L-3)](2+), in which the new amido-linked binucleatin,a bis(terpyridin e) ligand, L-3, has both coordinated and pendant, non-coordinated terpyridy l domains. It is demonstrated that coordination of metal sources or ions by the non-coordinated terpyridine centre in the complex ligand can be used t o selectively assemble metallosupramolecular dimers and trimers. The spectr oscopic and electrochemical characteristics of the new complexes are descri bed. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.