Spectroelectrochemical studies on some new ruthenium(II) complexes containing both cyanide and isocyanide ligands

New ruthenium(II) complexes trans, trans, trans-[RuCl2(NCR)2(CNR′)2] (R=Me or Ph, R′=But, xylyl or cyclohexyl (cy)) have been prepared by treating mer-[RuCl3(NCR)3] with the appropriate isocyanide ligand CNR′ in EtOH/CH2Cl2. These complexes have been shown to be oxidisable electrochemically in situ to the analogous ruthenium(III) species trans, trans, trans-[RuCl2(NCR)2(CNR′)2]+ in 0.5 mol dm−3 [NBun 4][PF6]/CH2Cl2 solution, the stereochemistry of the oxidised species being established by use of an infrared spectroelectrochemical (IRRAS) technique. The electronic absorption spectra of the ruthenium(III) species obtained by use of an OTTLE cell are also reported and discussed.