Synthesis of an Oxo-bridged Diruthenium Diazene Complex and Its Catalytic Light-driven Water Oxidation

Abstract Reactions of cis-[Ru(bpy)2Cl2]⋅2H2O, AgNO3, and 1,2-dimethylhydrazine in the presence of NaClO4 afforded a cationic oxo-bridged ruthenium(II) diazene complex [(bpy)2Ru(μ-O)(μ-η1,η1-N,N-MeN=NMe)Ru(bpy)2](ClO4)2 (1), which was characterized by NMR, IR, UV/Vis spectroscopies as well as single-crystal X-ray crystallography. The catalytic behavior of complex 1 towards light-driven water oxidation in a three-component system containing a photosensitizer [Ru(bpy)3]Cl2 and an electron acceptor Na2S2O8 was investigated.