Photocatalytic reduction of coordinated dinitrogen to ammonia — mononuclear versus dinuclear ethylenediaminetetraacetato ruthenium complexes

Abstract

Experiments were conducted aiming for the reduction of coordinated nitrogen in mononuclear end-on dinitrogen complex, [Ru (Hedta) N₂]⁻ and dinuclear bridged complex, [Ru (Hedta)]₂N²⁻₂ using the conduction band electrons of illuminated Pt/CdS (λ_ex= 505 nm). It has been found that the dinitrogen in mononuclear end-on complex is more easily reduced to ammonia.