PHOTOCHEMISTRY OF [RU(CO)(5)] WITH NITROGEN-HETEROCYCLES

The photochemistry of [Ru(CO)(5)] with a series of nitrogen heterocycl es has been investigated in dichloromethane solution. Photolysis with pyridine (py) leads to the highly unstable novel monosubstituted compl ex [Ru(CO)(4)(py)]. In the case of polydentate heterocycles, photooxid ation occurs. With 2,2'-bipyridine a number of complex products are ge nerated. With 2,2':6,2 ''-terpyridine (terpy), [RuCl3(terpy)] is forme d. With 6-(2-thienyl)-2,2'-bipyridine (thbipy), [RuCl3(thbipy)] is for med, this being soluble in donor solvents generating [RuCl3-(thbipy)(s olv)] (solv = solvent), The molecular structures of thbipy, [RuCl5(thb ipy)(dmf)] (dmf = dimethylformamide) and [RuCl3(thbipy)(MeCN)] have be en determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction methods.