Novel Heteroleptic Ruthenium(II) Complexes with 2,2´- bipyridines Containing a Series of Electron Donor and Acceptor Substituents in 4,4´-positions: Syntheses, Characterization and Application as Sensitizers for ZnO Nanowires Based Solar Cells

SALOMÓN, FERNANDO F.; VEGA, NADIA C.; PARELLA, TEODOR; MORÁN VIEYRA, FAUSTINO E.; BORSARELLI, CLAUDIO D.; LONGO, CLAUDIA; CATTANEO, MAURICIO; KATZ, NÉSTOR E.

ACS Omega

American Chemical Society

Lugar: Washington; Año: 2020 vol. 5 p. 8097 - 8107

2470-1343

A novel series of complexes of formulae [Ru(4,4´-X2-bpy)2(Mebpy-CN)](PF6)2 ( X = -CH3, -OCH3, -N(CH3)2; Mebpy-CN = 4-methyl-2,2´-bipyridine-4´-carbonitrile) have been synthesized and characterized by spectroscopic, electrochemical and photophysical techniques. Inclusion of the electron-withdrawing substituent -CN at one bpy ligand and different electron donor groups -X at the 4,4´-positions of the other two bpy ligands produce a fine tuning of physicochemical properties. Redox potentials, electronic absorption maxima, redox potentials, and emission maxima correlate well with Hammett?s p parameters of X. Quantum mechanical calculations are consistent with experimental data. All the complexes can be anchored through the nitrile moiety of Mebpy-CN over ZnO nanowires in dye-sensitized solar cells that exhibit an improvement of light to electrical energy conversion efficiency as the electronic asymmetry increases in the series.