The photolysis of [Ru(bpy) 2 (bn)] 2 + (bpy = 2,2 -bipyridine, bn = 1,4-butanediamine) in acetonitrile and acetone by light of wavelength longer than 420 nm was studied by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). The results were different from those of two other amine complexes, [Ru(bpy) 2 (en)] 2 + and [Ru(bpy) 2 (tn)] 2 + (en = ethylenediamine and tn = 1,3-propanediamine). An analysis of the irradiation time course revealed that one end of the bn ligand is quickly dissociated to form a solvent-coordinated complex, [Ru(bpy) 2 (bn)(AN)] 2 + (AN = acetonitrile), and its protonated complex, [Ru(bpy) 2 (bn + H)(AN)] 3 + . These solvent-coordinated complexes were not observed in the photochemical reactions of the en or tn complex. The difference in photolysis is due to the fact that the coordination of the bn ligand in [Ru(bpy) 2 (bn)] 2 + is less stable than the en or tn ligand. Both the en and tn complexes formed oxygenated complexes, while the bn complex did not form such a complex. This can be explained by the incorporation of singlet oxygen during the photochemical reaction.Several dehydrogenation reactions of aliphatic amines, such as ethylenediamine chelating to Ru( ) complex, have been studied by chemical oxidation or electrochemical oxidation reactions.1-4 These studies have shown that the oxidative dehydrogenation reaction took place first by the oxidation of Ru( ) to Ru( ) to form a 17 electron complex, which was then transformed to a diimine complex via a monoimine intermediate. 3,5,6,7 [Ru(bpy) 2 L] 2 + complexes, where bpy = 2,2 -bipyridine, L = ehtylenediamine (en), 1,3-propanediamine (tn), or 1,4-butanediamine (bn) ( 1 , 2 , 3 in Fig. 1 8 Although the oxidative dehydrogenation reactions were believed to occur by MLCT excitation, 9 their expected reaction intermediates, the Ru( ) complex and the monoimine complex, were too unstable to be isolated or identified; therefore, the reaction pathway to the diimine complex remains unclear.Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS), developed by Fenn and coworkers, 10-12 has become a powerful technique for the detection and identification of reaction products and their intermediates. [13][14][15][16][17] We previously studied the ESI-MS analysis on the photochemical reaction of [Ru(bpy) 2 -(en)] 2 + in acetonitrile. By using an isotope-labeled complex, we were able to confirm that the complex was transformed to the diimine complex via a monoimine intermediate. In addition, we detected a new oxygenated complex, which was shown to be a nitroso-complex from an with a solvent. The reaction is considered to proceed via the one-electron oxidation of the Ru( ) complex to a Ru( ) complex and the intermediate with dissociation of one end of the diamine. However, such reaction intermediates for the ligand substitution process have not been detected for the aliphatic amine complexes. In addition, the reaction pathway to form Fig. 1.Structures of bis(2,2 -bipyridine)diamineruthenium( ) complexes.