Isolation of RuⅢ-bda(17-electron specie)complex with an aqua ligand(2-electron donor)is challenging due to violation of the 18-electron rule.Although considerable efforts have been dedicated to mechanistic studies of...Isolation of RuⅢ-bda(17-electron specie)complex with an aqua ligand(2-electron donor)is challenging due to violation of the 18-electron rule.Although considerable efforts have been dedicated to mechanistic studies of water oxidation by the Ru-bda family,the structure and initial formation of the Ru^(Ⅲ)-bda aqua complex are still controversial.Herein,we challenge this often overlooked step by designing a pocketshape Ru-based complex 1.The computational studies showed that 1 possesses the crucial hydrophobicity at the Ru^(V)(O)state as well as similar probability of access of terminal O to solvent water molecules when compared with classic Ru-bda catalysts.Through characterization of single-crystal structures at the Ru^(Ⅱ) and Ru^(Ⅲ) states,a pseudo seven-coordinate“ready-togo”aqua ligand with Ru^(Ⅲ)…O distance of 3.62A was observed.This aqua ligand was also found to be part of a formed hydrogen-bonding network,providing a good indication of how the Ru^(Ⅲ)-OH_(2)complex is formed.展开更多
基金financially supported by the Swedish Research Council(2017-00935)the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation(KAW 2016.0072)the China Scholarship Council(CSC).
文摘Isolation of RuⅢ-bda(17-electron specie)complex with an aqua ligand(2-electron donor)is challenging due to violation of the 18-electron rule.Although considerable efforts have been dedicated to mechanistic studies of water oxidation by the Ru-bda family,the structure and initial formation of the Ru^(Ⅲ)-bda aqua complex are still controversial.Herein,we challenge this often overlooked step by designing a pocketshape Ru-based complex 1.The computational studies showed that 1 possesses the crucial hydrophobicity at the Ru^(V)(O)state as well as similar probability of access of terminal O to solvent water molecules when compared with classic Ru-bda catalysts.Through characterization of single-crystal structures at the Ru^(Ⅱ) and Ru^(Ⅲ) states,a pseudo seven-coordinate“ready-togo”aqua ligand with Ru^(Ⅲ)…O distance of 3.62A was observed.This aqua ligand was also found to be part of a formed hydrogen-bonding network,providing a good indication of how the Ru^(Ⅲ)-OH_(2)complex is formed.
