Photochromic compounds are light-activated molecular switches that convert photonic energy to potential energy for specific and selective excited state bond breaking and bond making reactions. Our examination of ruthenium and osmium polypryridine complexes containing sulfoxide ligands demonstrate that S-to-O isomerization is efficient, and can occur rapidly both in solution. Picosecond transient absorption spectroscopic data show that S-to-O isomerization time constants may be as fast as 45 ps. Recent studies of ruthenium polypyridine complexes containing chelating sulfoxides illustrate that two different colors of light may be used to trigger between the two ground states. These investigations also show that isomerization occurs in a non-adiabatic fashion. These results and others will be presented and discussed.

Ultrafast spectroscopy of ruthenium and osmium sulfoxide complexes

247th National Meeting (2014)

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