Photochemistry of Ruthenium Complexes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Photochemistry of Ruthenium Complexes - Essay Example In packed systems, this will lead to two events: the transfer of excitation energy or the transfer of the electron itself to a neighboring complex that has a lower energy level. Eventually, the series of reactions will result in the production of NADPH and ATP. The net photochemical reaction involves the splitting of water, which is the ultimate electron donor, to  ½ O2, 2H+ and 2 electrons (summarized in Mathews and Van Holde). The photochemical reaction in photosynthesis was the basis for developing inorganic systems that can make use of the high potential of solar energy. This is especially important now that supply of fossil fuels like gasoline and diesel is affected by political, climate and environmental events. The recent erratic changes in price and supply coupled with the high demand for fossil fuels increased the search for renewable and cheap sources of energy. Sunlight is free and harnessing solar energy is one of the main objectives for developing photochemical technologies. In this context, ruthenium complexes have very important roles to play. Ruthenium complexes have long been studied for their many uses in the energy, chemical and lately, in the medical industry. Ruthenium (Ru) is a rare transition metal which falls under the platinum group in the periodic table of elements. Its atomic number is 44, and has oxidation states ranging from -2 to +8 but the most common are +2, +3 and +4. In its elemental state, ruthenium is easily oxidized by air to form ruthenium oxide, RuO4. It does not react with acids but easily reacts with bases and halogens. Small amounts of Ru are added to platinum, palladium, gold and titanium to produce hard and tarnish-resistant alloys. Ruthenium, as part of an alloy or when complexed with other compounds, is also utilized in other applications like catalytic reactions, electrolytic protection, optic sensors, microelectronics, organic and polymer synthesis (Dragutan and Dragutan), anti-cancer agents