An expeditious route to cis-Ru(bpy)2C12 (bpy = 2,2′-bipyridine) using carbohydrates as reducers

The tandem use of simple mono- or disaccharides and vitamin C as organic reducers allows the synthesis of the widely used starting material cis-Ru(bpy)2Cl2 (where bpy = 2,2′-bipyridine) from commercial ruthenium (III) chloride in less than half an hour. Notably, the reaction can be run in organic aqueous solvent or in only water, hence it can be adapted to substituted 2,2′-bipyridines.