Photochemical and Radiolytic Production of an Organic Hydride Donor with a RuII Complex Containing an NAD+ Model Ligand

Role model: The photochemical and electrochemical properties of a polypyridylruthenium complex with an NAD+/NADH (NAD+=nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) model ligand, [Ru(bpy)2(pbn)]2+ ([1]2+; bpy=2,2′-bipyridine, pbn=2-(2-pyridyl)benzo[b]-1,5-naphthyridine), were investigated. When solutions containing [1]2+ and triethylamine are irradiated with visible light, [(1)HH]2+ is produced cleanly (see scheme).