Professor Jeff Rack of the University of New Mexico

"Ultrafast Dynamics in Ru Sulfoxide Complexes and Fe Polypyridine Complexes"

Ruthenium polypyridine Sulfoxide Complexes undergo dramatic changes in electronic and molecular structure when irradiated. These changes are due to an excited state isomerization of the sulfoxide from S-bonded in the ground state to create an O-bonded sulfoxide in the metastable state. I will discuss the kinetic and thermodynamic parameters operative in these complexes. This reaction is both rapid and efficient. In particular, I will focus on a series of bis sulfoxide complexes and reveal crystallographic evidence for the structure of the metastable state. I will also discuss our efforts to transfer this chemistry to iron, and will highlight our recent efforts on identifying MLCT states on Fe.