One-pot synthesis of 2,5-diethynyl-3,4-dibutylthiophene substituted multitopic bipyridine ligands: redox and photophysical properties of their ruthenium(II) complexes

A facile and original synthesis of four 2,2-bipyridine (bipy) ligands grafted with thiophene subunits is described using phase transfer experimental conditions: related Ru(II) complexes exhibit well-defined redox and photophysical properties which were probed by cyclic voltammetry, UV–vis, steady-state emission and transient absorption spectroscopy.