Synthetic and oxidation studies of ruthenium(II) phthalocyanine complexes

Ruthenium(II) phthalocyanine complexes of the type RuPcL 2 (Pc = the phthalocyaninato dianion, L = various pyridines, imidazole, dimethylformamide, dimethylsulfoxide, and acetonitrile) may be prepared generally in solution by photolysis of RuPc(CO)L′ complexes in the presence of excess L (L′ may be the same as L or may be a different ligand), and in some cases as solids by extraction of crude RuPc with L. The solid RuPc(CO)L monocarbonyls can be formed from reaction of the RuPcL 2 complexes with carbon monoxide, as well as via an extraction procedure using L with crude RuPc(CO) formed from Ru 3 (CO) 12 and phthalocyanine.