Abstract

The syntheses of oligo(p-phenylenevinylene)s (OPVs) end-functionalized with a ligated ruthenium alkynyl unit as a donor and a nitro as acceptor, namely trans-[Ru{CC-1-C6H4-4-(E)-CH=CH-1-C6H2-2,5-Et-2-4-(E)-CH=CH-1-C6H2-2,5-Et-2-4-(E)-CH=CH-1-C6H4-4-NO2}Cl(dppe)(2)] (Ru4), trans-[Ru{CC-1-C6H4-4-(E)-CH=CH-1-C6H2-2,5-Et-2-4-(E)-CH=CH-1-C6H2-2,5-Et-2-4-(E)-CH=CH-1-C6H2-2,5-(n-hexyl)(2)-4-(E)-CH=CH-1-C6H2-2,5-(n-hexyl)(2)-4-(E)-CH=CH-1-C6H4-4-NO2}Cl(dppe)(2)] (Ru6), and trans-[Ru{CC-1-C6H4-4-(E)-CH=CH-1-C6H2-2,5-Et-2-4-(E)-CH=CH-1-C6H2-2,5-Et-2-4-(E)-CH=CH-1-C6H2-2,5-(n-hexyl)(2)-4-(E)-CH=CH-1-C6H2-2,5-(n-hexyl)(2)-4-(E)-CH=CH-1-C6H2-2,5-(2-ethyl-n-hexyl)(2)-4-(E)-CH=CH-1-C6H2-2,5-(2-ethyl-n-hexyl)(2)-4-(E)-CH=CH-1-C6H4-4-NO2}Cl(dppe)(2)] (Ru8), are reported, together with those of precursor alkynes. Their electrochemical properties were assessed by cyclic voltammetry (CV), their linear optical and quadratic nonlinear optical (NLO) properties assayed by UV/Vis-NIR spectroscopy and hyper-Rayleigh scattering studies at 1064nm, respectively, and their linear optical properties in the formally Ru-III state examined by UV/Vis-NIR spectroelectrochemistry. Computational studies employing time-dependent density functional theory were undertaken on model complexes to rationalize the optical observations.