The mechanism of photocatalytic reduction of 1-benzylnicotinamidium cation (BNA(+)) to the 1,4-dihydro form (1,4-BNAH) using [Ru(tpy)(bpy)(L)](2+) (Ru-L(2+), where tpy = 2,2':6',2''-terpyridine, bpy = 2,2'-bipyridine, and L = pyridine and MeCN) as a photocatalyst and NEt(3) as a reductant has been clarified. On the basis of this mechanistic study, an efficient and durable photocatalytic system for selective hydride reduction of an NAD(P)(+) model compound has been developed. The photocatalytic reaction is initiated by the formation of [Ru(tpy)(bpy)(NEt(3))](2+) (Ru-NEt(3)(2+)) via the photochemical ligand substitution of Ru-L(2+). For this reason, the production rate of 1,4-BNAH using [Ru(tpy)(bpy)(MeCN)](2+) (Ru-MeCN(2+)) as a photocatalyst, from which the quantum yield of photoelimination of the MeCN ligand is greater than that of the pyridine ligand from [Ru(tpy)(bpy)(pyridine)](2+) (Ru-py(2+)), was faster than that using Ru-py(2+), especially in the first stage of the photocatalytic reduction. The photoexcitation of Ru-NEt(3)(2+) yields [Ru(tpy)(bpy)H](+) (Ru-H(+)), which reacts with BNA(+) to give 1:1 adduct [Ru(tpy)(bpy)(1,4-BNAH)](2+) (Ru-BNAH(2+)). In the presence of excess NEt(3) in the reaction solution, a deprotonation of the carbamoyl group in Ru-BNAH(2+) proceeds rapidly, mainly forming [Ru(tpy)(bpy)(1,4-BNAH-H(+))](+) (Ru-(BNAH-H(+))(+)). Although photocleavage of the adduct yields 1,4-BNAH and the cycle is completed by the re-coordination of a NEt(3) molecule to the Ru(II) center, this process competes with hydride abstraction from Ru-(BNAH-H(+))(+) by BNA(+) giving 1,4-BNAH and [Ru(tpy)(bpy)(BNA(+)-H(+))](2+). This adduct was observed as the major complex in the reaction solution after the photocatalysis was depressed and is a dead-end product because of its stability. Based on the information about the reaction mechanism and the deactivation process, we have successfully developed a new photocatalytic system using Ru-MeCN(2+) with 2 M of NEt(3) as a reductant, which could reduce more than 59 equivalent amounts of an NAD(P)(+) model, 1-benzyl-N,N-diethylnicotinamidium cation, selectively to the corresponding 1,4-dihydro form in a 6 x 10(-4) quantum yield using 436-nm light.

In order to better understand the regioselective hydride transfer of metal hydrido complexes to NAD(P) + model compounds, reactions of [Ru(tpy)(bpy)H] + (Ru-H: tpy = 2,2′:6″,2″-terpyridine, bpy = 2,2′-bipyridine) with various substituent NAD(P) + model compounds were investigated in detail. All of the NAD(P) + model compounds accepted hydride from Ru-H, yielding 1:1 adducts, where the dihydro form(s) of the model compounds coordinated with the carbamoyl group to the Ru(II) center of [Ru(tpy)(bpy)] 2+ , with very different reaction rates. Some reactions produced the adduct with only the 1,4-dihydro structure, whereas others produced a mixture of two adducts, with a 1,4-or 1,2-dihydro structure. In particular, temperature-dependent adduct formation kinetics studies provided important information on the transition state(s) of the hydride transfer reactions and factors for determining the regioselectivity. Most adducts were cleaved to the corresponding free dihydro product(s) with the same distribution of the regioisomers to the adduct(s).

Reactions between various pyridinium cations with and without a −CF 3 substituent at the 3-position and [Ru(tpy)(bpy)H] + (tpy = 2,2′:6′,2″-terpyridine and bpy = 2,2′-bipyridine) were investigated in detail. The corresponding 1,4-dihydropyridines coordinating to a Ru(II) complex in η 2 mode through a CC bond were quantitatively formed at the initial stage. The only exception observed was in the case of the 1benzylpyridinium cation, where a mixture of two adducts with 1,4-dihydropyridine and 1,2-dihydropyridine was formed in the ratio 96:4. Cleavage of the Ru−(CC) bond proceeded at a slower rate in all reactions, giving the corresponding dihydropyridine and [Ru(tpy)(bpy)(NCCH 3 )] 2+ when acetonitrile was used as a solvent. Kinetic activation parameters for the adduct formation indicated that the 1,4-regioselectivities were induced by formation of sterically constrained structures.