Multielectron Storage and Photo‐Induced Electron Transfer in Oligonuclear Complexes Containing Ruthenium(II) Terpyridine and Ferrocene Building Blocks

The heteroleptic complex [(HOOC‐tpy)Ru(tpy‐NH 2 )](PF 6 ) 2 (tpy = 2,2′;6′,2″‐terpyridine) has been incorporated into a multicomponent system with ferrocene moieties attached on either the N‐terminal end or the C‐terminal end and on both ends of the ruthenium complex. Electrochemical studies reveal almost noninteracting subunits in the oligonuclear systems, whereas ground‐state and excited‐state optical properties are shown to strongly depend on the site of ferrocene attachment. Interpretation of the experimental results is supported by DFT calculations. (© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2006)