Picosecond Isomerization in Photochromic Ruthenium and Osmium complexes: Mechanism, New Complexes and Molecular Devices

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This research award in the Inorganic, Bioinorganic and Organometallic Chemistry program at NSF supports work by Professor Jeffrey Rack at Ohio University to investigate a new class of transition metal complexes that change structure and color when exposed to solar radiation (light). The emphasis of the study is the synthesis and complete characterization of photochromic ruthenium and osmium complexes, whose mode of action is associated with sulfur-to-oxygen and oxygen-to-sulfur isomerization of sulfoxide ligands bound to the metal in these chromophoric complexes. These studies will focus on discovering the kinetic and thermodynamic parameters for the action of this unique family of chromophores that utilize light to break and make bonds on a very fast timescale. Members of this new class of transition metal complexes will be employed in the fabrication of solar-driven nanoscale devices for information storage applications. Thus, both fundamental and applied aspects of this chemistry will be explored. Students associated with this project will be involved in a variety of outreach programs that engage male and female students from local area schools in chronically economically depressed Appalachia (Athens, OH). The development of light-activated compounds and materials is important for both laboratory and industrial settings. The transduction of light energy to other forms of energy is of intrinsic interest and relevance in biology, chemistry, physics, and engineering. These molecules and these studies will reveal new strategies for the conversion of light energy into other forms of energy.