Configurationally Nonselective Aquation of a Mononuclear Ru(II) Chloro Complex to Aquo Complex Isomers with Distinctive Aspects in Photoisomerization, Redox, and Catalytic Water Oxidation

distal-[Ru(EtOtpy)(pynp)Cl]⁺ (d-EtO1Cl) (EtOtpy = 4'-ethoxy-2,2':6',2″-terpyridine, pynp = 2-(2-pyridyl)-1,8-naphthyridine), and distal/proximal-[Ru(EtOtpy)(pynp)OH₂]²⁺ (d/p-EtO1H₂O) complexes were newly synthesized to investigate the synergistic influence of the geometric configuration coupled with substituent introduction of an ethoxy (EtO) group on the physicochemical properties and reactions of the Ru(II) complexes. Configurationally nonselective aquation of d-EtO1Cl was uniquely observed to form d/p-EtO1H₂O isomers in water, in contrast to configurationally selective aquation of distal-[Ru(tpy)(pynp)Cl]⁺ (d-1Cl, tpy = 2,2':6',2″-terpyridine) without the EtO group [Yamazaki, H. . J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2011, 133, 8846-8849].The kinetic profiles of the aquation reactions of d-EtO1Cl were well analyzed using a sequential reversible reaction model assuming the reversible interconversion between d/p-EtO1H₂O isomers via d-EtO1Cl. The observed equilibrium constant (K_iso) of isomerization between p/d-EtO1H₂O was calculated from the kinetic analysis as K_iso = 0.45, which is consistent with the final concentration ratio (1:0.43) of p/d-EtO1H₂O generated in the aquation reaction of d-EtO1Cl. The irreversible photoisomerization from d-EtO1H₂O to p-EtO1H₂O was observed in water with an internal quantum yield (Φ) of 0.44% at 520 nm. Electrochemical measurements showed that d-EtO1H₂O undergoes a 2-step oxidation reaction of 1H⁺-coupled 1e^- processes of Ru^II-OH₂/Ru^III-OH and Ru^III-OH/Ru^IV═O at pH 1.3-9.7, whereas p-EtO1H₂O undergoes a 1-step oxidation reaction of a 2H⁺-coupled 2e^- process of Ru^II-OH₂/Ru^IV═O in the pH range of 1.8-11.5. Any redox potential of d/p-EtO1H₂O isomers was decreased by the electro-donating EtO substitution, compared with distal/proximal-[Ru(tpy)(pynp)OH₂]²⁺ (d/p-1H₂O). The turnover frequency (k_O2 = 1.7 × 10^-2 s^-1) of d-EtO1H₂O for water oxidation catalysis is higher than that (3.5 × 10^-4 s^-1) of p-EtO1H₂O by a factor of 48.6. The k_O2 value (1.7 × 10^-2 s^-1) for d-EtO1H₂O is 4.5-fold higher than those of d-1H₂O (3.8 × 10^-3 s^-1). The higher k_O2 value of d-EtO1H₂O compared with d-1H₂O could be explained by the fast oxidation rate from Ru^IV═O to Ru^V═O involved in the rate-determining step due to the electron-donating EtO group.