Synthesis, photophysical, photochemical and electrochemical properties of rhenium(I) diimine complexes with photoisomerizable pyridyl-azo, -ethenyl or -ethyl ligands

A series of rhenium(I) diimine complexes with pyridyl-azo, -ethenyl or -ethyl type ligands, [Re(CO)(3)(N-N)L]ClO4 and [{Re(CO)(3)(N-N)}(2)L'][ClO4](2) {N-N = 2,2'-bipyridine (bpy), 1,10-phenanthroline (phen); L = 4-phenylazopyridine (PHAZO), 4-styrylpyridine (STYPY), [2-(4-pyridyl)ethyl]benzene (PEB), 4-(4-nitrostyryl)pyridine (NSP); L' = 4,4'-azopyridine (AZO), 1,4-bis[2-(4-pyridyl)ethenyl]benzene (BPENB), 1,4-bis[2-(4-pyridyl)ethyl]benzene (BPEB)} have been synthesized and their photophysical properties studied. The quantum yields for the photoinduced isomerization of the complexes [Re(CO)(3)(bpy)(NSP)](+) and [Re(CO)(3)(phen)(NSP)](+) have been determined.