Heteroleptic monometallic and trimetallic ruthenium(II) complexes incorporating a π-extended dipyrrin ligand: Light-activated reactions with the A549 lung cancer cell line.

A heteroleptic monometallic ruthenium(II) and a heteroleptic trimetallic ruthenium(II) complex have been synthesized and characterized. Both complexes have an overall 3+ charge, with the charge density greater for the monometallic complex. The electronic spectra of the monometallic ruthenium(II) complex exhibits intense π-π* transitions associated with the bipyridyl groups along with overlapping metal to ligand charge transfer (MLCT) and ligand centered π-π* transitions ranging from 520nm to approximately 600nm.