The electrochemical oxidation of ruthenocene in various room temperature ionic liquids

Journal article

The electrochemical behavior of ruthenocene, RuCp2, was investigated on both a platinum microdisk electrode and a platinum macroelectrode in six different room temperature ionic liquids of varying viscosity, at a range of temperatures and concentrations. It was observed that the redox behavior of RuCp2 is not well understood in both aqueous and non-aqueous media. A process involving the one electron oxidation of RuCp2 to the [RuCp2]+ monocation, followed by dimerization to form the [Cp2Ru-RuCp2]2+ species has been speculated although, chronoamperometry suggests that the oxidation of RuCp2 proceeds via a two-electron process. For this reason, it is believed that an ECE mechanism proceeds in which the electrogenerated [RuCp2]+ monocation undergoes a nucleophilic reaction with the anions of the ionic liquid media, in a chemical step which facilitates the transfer of a second electron. © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Authors: Rogers, E; Lawrence, N; Compton, R

• Publication status: Published
• Journal: JOURNAL OF ELECTROANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
• Volume: 657
• Issue: 1-2
• Pages: 144-149
• Publication date: 2011-07-01
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jelechem.2011.04.007
• ISSN: 1572-6657
• Language: English
• Keywords: Bis(cyclopentadienyl)ruthenium(II); Room temperature ionic liquids; Ruthenocene