The synthesis and characterization of mixed ligand 2,2';6',2' '-terpyridine (tpy) ruthenium complexes with 2,6-bis([1,2,4]triazol-3-yl)pyridine, 2,6-bis(5-phenyl-[1,2,4]triazol-3-yl)pyridine, and 2,6-bis([1,2,3,4]tetrazol-5-yl)pyridine arereported. The species are characterized by HPLC,
1H NMR, UV/vis, and emission spectroscopy. The photophysicalproperties of the complexes are investigated as a function of temperature over the range 80-320 K. The emissionlifetime observed for the fully deprotonated compounds at room temperature is about 80 ns. This increase by 2orders of magnitude with respect to the parent "[Ru(tpy)
2]
2+" complex is rationalized by an increase in the energyof the metal based d
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orbital, rather than by manipulation of the
![](/images/gifchars/pi.gif)
* orbitals on the ligands. The acid-base andelectrochemical properties of the compounds are reported also.