Synthesis, characterization, Langmuir-Blodgett film-forming properties, and second-harmonic-generation studies of ruthenium(II) complexes with long hydrocarbon chains.

Several ruthenium(II) surfactants of general formula [Ru(bpy)(2)L](2+) [L = N-(2-pyridylmethylene)-3,4-bis(tetradecyloxy)benzenamine, N-(2-pyridylmethylene)-3,4-bis(octadecyloxy)benzenamine, 9-(3,4-bis(tetradecyloxy)benzenamino)-4,5-diazafluorene, 9-(4-(tetradecyloxy)-4'-azabenzenamino)-4,5-diazafluorene, 4,7-dinonadecyl-1,10-phenanthroline] and [Ru(L)(3)](2+) (L = 4,7-dinonadecyl-1,10-phenanthroline) were synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, (1)H NMR, UV-vis, luminescence spectroscopy, and cyclic voltammetry. Their Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) film formation properties and surface pressure-area (pi-A) isotherms were also studied. Two complexes were found to show second-harmonic-generation (SHG) behavior.