SYNTHETIC ROUTES TO RUTHENIUM(II) SPECIES CONTAINING CARBOXYLATE-FUNCTIONALIZED 2,2'-BIPYRIDINE LIGANDS

Two methods are reported for the incorporation of carboxylate substitu ents on polypyridyl ligands coordinated to ruthenium(Ir) centres. In t he first, a precursor complex is synthesized with ethoxycarbonyl group s which are subsequently base-hydrolysed to produce the carboxylate in high yield (-CO2Et --> -CO2H). In the second method, ruthenyl (Ru-IV= O) species were used to chemically catalyse the electochemical oxidati on of methyl substituents on the ligands of a precursor complex to pro duce the target carboxylate species (-CH3 --> -CO2H).