title: Dependence of field switched ordered arrays of dinuclear mixed-valence complexes on the distance between the redox centers and the size of the counterions.
abstract: trans-[(H(2)NCH(2)CH(2)C triple bond N)(dppe)(2)Ru(C triple bond C)(6)Ru(dppe)(2)(N triple bond CCH(2)CH(2)NH(2))][PF(6)](2), 2[PF(6)](2), a derivative of trans-[Cl(dppe)(2)Ru(C triple bond C)(6)Ru(dppe)(2)Cl] functionalized for binding to a silicon substrate, has been prepared and characterized spectroscopically, electrochemically, and with a solid state, single-crystal structure determination. Covalent binding via reaction of one amine group to a boron-doped, smooth Si-Cl substrate is verified by XPS measurements and surface electrochemistry. Vertical orientation is demonstrated by film thickness measurements. Synthesis of the 2[PF(6)](3) mixed-valence complex on the surface is established by electrochemical techniques. Measurement of the ac capacitance of the film at 1 MHz as a function of voltage across the film with a pulse-counter pulse technique demonstrates controlled electric field generation of the two stable mixed-valence forms differing in the spatial location of one electron, that is, switching. As compared to [trans-Ru(dppm)(2)(C triple bond CFc)(NCCH(2)CH(2)NH(2))][PF(6)][Cl], 1[PF(6)][Cl], the magnitude of the capacitance signal per complex observed on switching is shown to increase with increasing distance between the metal centers. Additional experiments on 1[X][Cl] show that the potential for switching 1[X][Cl] increases in the order [X](-) = [SO(3)CF(3)](-) < [PF(6)](-) < [Cl](-). A simple electrostatic model suggests that the smaller is the counterion, the greater is the perturbation of the metal sites and the larger is the barrier for switching.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, USA.
authors.forename: Hua
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Qi
authors.forename: Anuradha
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.forename: Bruce C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Noll
authors.forename: Gregory L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Snider
authors.forename: Yuhui
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Craig
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lent
authors.forename: Thomas P
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Fehlner