Photochemical and thermal ligand exchange in a ruthenium(II) complex based on a scorpionate terpyridine ligand

A ruthenium(II) complex containing a 1,10-phenanthroline unit and a terpyridine fragment covalently linked to a benzonitrile group has been synthesised; coordination and decoordination of the benzonitrile group can be induced thermally and photochemically respectively, in an acetone–water mixture.