Mechanistic study of the trans,cis,cis-[RuCl2(DMSO)2(H2O)2] complex photochemistry in aqueous solutions

It is known that trans,cis,cis -[RuCl 2 (DMSO) 2 (H 2 O) 2 ] ( 1a ) complexes, which are formed upon dissolution of trans-[RuCl 2 (DMSO) 4 ] in water, demonstrate light-induced cytotoxicity. The mechanistic study of 1a photochemistry has been performed using ultrafast pump–probe spectroscopy, laser flash photolysis and stationary photolysis. The first stage of 1a photochemistry is the photoexchange of a DMSO ligand to a water molecule; its quantum yield is wavelength-dependent (estimating by values 0.3 and 0.04 upon irradiation at 308 and 430 nm, respectively). The mechanism of photoexchange is complicated involving at least four Ru(ii) intermediates. Two tentative mechanisms of the process are proposed.