Ruthenium (II) polypyridyl complexes based on bipyridine and two novel diimine ligands with carrier-transporting unit: synthesis, photoluminescence and redox properties

A series of ruthenium (II) complexes, [Ru(bpy)2L]X2 (L = L1, L2; X = Cl−, PF6−, SCN−), were synthesized based on bipyridine and two novel diimine ligands L1 and L2 (L1 = 1-(4-5′-phenyl-1,3,4-oxadiazolylphenyl)-2-pyridinyl-benzoimidazole, L2 = 1-(4-carbazolylphenyl)-2-pyridinylbenzimidazole); and the crystal structure of [Ru(bpy)2L1]Cl2 was also described. [Ru(bpy)2(Pybm)]X2 (Pybm = 2-(2-pyridine)benzimidazole) complexes were also prepared as reference samples. In the UV-vis absorption spectra there are one strong π → π * transition and two dπ (Ru) → π * transitions. By comparisons of photoluminescence properties between [Ru(bpy)2L]X (L = L1, L2) and the reference complexes we find that the complexes with carrier-transporting groups of carbazole and oxadizole have the higher emission intensity and quantum efficiency. One reversible oxidation process in the range 0.80–1.00 V exists in each of the complexes which is assigned to the metal oxidation, [Ru(III)(bpy)2L]2+ + e−⇌⇌[Ru(II)(bpy)2L]+.