Picosecond and infrared study of ultrafast electron transfer and vibrational energy relaxation in a mixed-valent ruthenium dimer

Results of the picosecond infrared study of the dynamics of a mixed-valent ruthenium dimer after a metal-metal charge-transfer (MMCT) optical excitation is discussed. The terminal RuC=N stretching frequency is observed and this leads to the detailed study on the formation and decay of the MMCT excited state. The vibrational coupling and energy-transfer dynamics can be understood by observing the energy flow during the de-excitation process. Results show that the back electron transfer from the MMCT state is ultrafast.