The complex [(tpy)(C(2)O(4))Ru(III)ORu(III)(C(2)O(4))(tpy)].8H(2)O (1.8H(2)O) (tpy is 2,2':6',2"-terpyridine) has been prepared and characterized by X-ray crystallography and FTIR, resonance Raman, and (1)H NMR spectroscopies. From the results of the X-ray analysis, angleRuORu is 148.5 degrees with a torsional angle (O(22)-Ru(2)-O(1)-Ru(1)-O(12)) of 22.7 degrees and there is a short Ru-O bridge distance of 1.843 Å. 1 undergoes a chemically reversible one-electron, pH-independent oxidation at 0.73 V vs NHE (0.49 V vs SCE) from pH = 4-8 and a pH-dependent, two-electron, chemically irreversible reduction at -0.35 V below pH = 4.0. Addition of 1.8H(2)O to strong acid generates [(tpy)(H(2)O)(2)Ru(III)ORu(III)(H(2)O)(2)(tpy)](4+) (2), which has been characterized by UV-visible, resonance Raman, and (1)H NMR measurements. In pH-dependent cyclic voltammograms there is evidence for a series of redox couples interrelating oxidation states from Ru(II)ORu(II) to Ru(V)ORu(V). In contrast to the "blue dimer", cis,cis-[(bpy)(2)(H(2)O)Ru(III)ORu(III)(OH(2))(bpy)(2)](4+), oxidation state Ru(IV)ORu(IV) (Ru(V)ORu(III)?) does appear as a stable oxidation state. Oxidation of Ru(IV)ORu(IV) by Ce(IV) in 0.1 M HClO(4) is followed by rapid O(2) production and appearance of an anated form of Ru(IV)ORu(IV). O(2) formation is in competition with oxidative cleavage of Ru(V)ORu(V) by Ce(IV) to give [Ru(VI)(tpy)(O)(2)(OH(2))](2+). Anation and oxidative cleavage prevent this complex from being a true catalyst for water oxidation.

The kinetics of electron transfer for the reactions cis-[Ru(IV)(bpy)2(py)(O)]2+ + H+ + [Os(II)(bpy)3]2+ <==> cis-[Ru(III)(bpy)2(py)(OH)]2+ + [Os(III)(bpy)3]3+ and cis-[Ru(III)(bpy)2(py)(OH)]2+ + H+ + [Os(II)(bpy)3]2+ <==> cis-[Ru(II)(bpy)2(py)(H2O)]2+ + [Os(III)(bpy)3]3+ have been studied in both directions by varying the pH from 1 to 8. The kinetics are complex but can be fit to a double "square scheme" involving stepwise electron and proton transfer by including the disproportionation equilibrium, 2cis-[Ru(III)(bpy)2(py)(OH)]2+ <==> (3 x 10(3) M(-1) x s(-1) forward, 2.1 x 10(5) M(-1) x s(-1) reverse) cis-[Ru(IV)(bpy)2(py)(O)]2+ + cis-[Ru(II)(bpy)2(py)(H2O)]2+. Electron transfer is outer-sphere and uncoupled from proton transfer. The kinetic study has revealed (1) pH-dependent reactions where the pH dependence arises from the distribution between acid and base forms and not from variations in the driving force; (2) competing pathways involving initial electron transfer or initial proton transfer whose relative importance depends on pH; (3) a significant inhibition to outer-sphere electron transfer for the Ru(IV)=O2+/Ru(III)-OH2+ couple because of the large difference in pK(a) values between Ru(IV)=OH3+ (pK(a) < 0) and Ru(III)-OH2+ (pK(a) > 14); and (4) regions where proton loss from cis-[Ru(II)(bpy)2(py)(H2O)]2+ or cis-[Ru(III)(bpy)2(py)(OH)]2+ is rate limiting. The difference in pK(a) values favors more complex pathways such as proton-coupled electron transfer.

Carbon monoxide readily binds to heme and copper proteins, acting as a competitive inhibitor of dioxygen. As such, CO serves as a probe of protein metal active sites. In our ongoing efforts to mimic the active site of cytochrome c oxidase, reactivity toward carbon monoxide offers a unique opportunity to gain insight into the binding and spectroscopic characteristics of synthetic model compounds. In this paper, we report the synthesis and characterization of CO-adducts of ((5/6)L)Fe(II), [((5/6)L)Fe(II)...Cu(I)](B(C(6)F(5))(4)), and [(TMPA)Cu(I)(CH(3)CN)](B(C(6)F(5))(4)), where TMPA = tris(2-pyridylmethyl)amine and (5/6)L = a tetraarylporphyrinate tethered in either the 5-position ((5)L) or 6-position ((6)L) to a TMPA copper binding moiety. Reaction of ((5/6)L)Fe(II) [in THF (293 K): UV-vis 424 (Soret), 543-544 nm; (1)H NMR delta(pyrrole) 52-59 ppm (4 peaks); (2)H NMR (from ((5)L-d(8))Fe(II)) delta(pyrrole) 53.3, 54.5, 55.8, 56.4 ppm] with CO in solution at RT yielded ((5/6)L)Fe(II)-CO [in THF (293 K): UV-vis 413-414 (Soret), 532-533 nm; IR nu(CO)(Fe) 1976-1978 cm(-1); (1)H NMR delta(pyrrole) 8.8 ppm; (2)H NMR (from ((5)L-d(8))Fe(II)-CO) delta(pyrrole) 8.9 ppm; (13)C NMR delta((CO)Fe) 206.8-207.1 ppm (2 peaks)]. Experiments repeated in acetonitrile, acetone, toluene, and dichloromethane showed similar spectroscopic data. Binding of CO resulted in a change from five-coordinate, high-spin Fe(II) to six-coordinate, low-spin Fe(II), as evidenced by the upfield shift of the pyrrole resonances to the diamagnetic region ((1)H and (2)H NMR spectra). Addition of CO to [((5/6)L)Fe(II)...Cu(I)](B(C(6)F(5))(4)) [in THF (293 K): UV-vis ((6)L only) 424 (Soret), 546 nm; (1)H NMR delta(pyrrole) 54-59 ppm (multiple peaks); (2)H NMR (from [((5)L-d(8))Fe(II).Cu(I)](B(C(6)F(5))(4))) delta(pyrrole) 53.4 ppm (br)] gave the bis-carbonyl adduct [((5/6)L)Fe(II)-CO...Cu(I)-CO](B(C(6)F(5))(4)) [in THF (293 K): UV-vis ((6)L only) 413 (Soret), 532 nm; IR nu(CO)(Fe) 1971-1973 cm(-1), nu(CO)(Cu) 2091-2093 cm(-1), approximately 2070(sh) cm(-1); (1)H NMR delta(pyrrole) 8.7-8.9 ppm; (2)H NMR (from [((5)L-d(8))Fe(II)-CO...Cu(I)-CO](B(C(6)F(5))(4))) delta(pyrrole) 8.9 ppm; (13)C NMR delta((CO)Fe) 206.8-208.1 ppm (2 peaks), delta((CO)Cu) 172.4 ((5)L), 178.2 ((6)L) ppm]. Experiments in acetonitrile, acetone, and toluene exhibited spectral features similar to those reported. The [((5/6)L)Fe(II)-CO.Cu(I)-CO](B(C(6)F(5))(4)) compounds yielded (CO)(Fe) spectra analogous to those seen for ((5/6)L)Fe(II)-CO and (CO)(Cu) spectra similar to those seen for [(TMPA)Cu(I)-CO](B(C(6)F(5))(4)) [in THF (293 K): IR nu(CO)(Cu) 2091 cm(-1), approximately 2070(sh) cm(-1); (13)C NMR delta((CO)Cu) 180.3 ppm]. Additional IR studies were performed in which the [((5)L)Fe(II)-CO...Cu(I)-CO](B(C(6)F(5))(4)) in solution was bubbled with argon in an attempt to generate the iron-only mono-carbonyl [((5)L)Fe(II)-CO.Cu(I)](B(C(6)F(5))(4)) species; in coordinating solvent or with axial base present, decreases in characteristic IR-band intensities revealed complete loss of CO from co...