Synthesis of new CO2-soluble ruthenium(II) and cobalt(II) polypyridine complexes bearing fluorinated alkyl chains and their application to photoreduction of liq. CO2

Eight types of new CO2-soluble or CO2-philic ruthenium(II) and cobalt(II) polypyridine complexes, namely, [M(F84OPh)(3)](BArF)(2), [M(F44OPh)(3)](BArF)(2), [M(F62Ph)(3)](BArF)(2), and [M(F62O)(3)](BArF)(2) (M = Ru or Co, BArF: tetrakis[3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]borate), were prepared from bipyridine derivatives bearing highly fluorinated alkyl chains and applied to the photoreduction of liq. CO2 under a high pressure of 6.8 MPa at 35 degrees C. All these complexes have higher philicity toward lig. CO2 than the corresponding complexes with PF6- as the counteranion. Using the Ru(II)-Co(II) systems of [M(F44OPh)(3)](BArF)(2) and [M(F62O)(3)](BArF)(2), direct photoreduction of CO2 was achieved without the use of any organic solvent. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.