Mid-Infrared Spectrum of [Ru(phen)(3)](2+).

Time-resolved infrared spectra in the fingerprint region (1300-1700 cm(-)(1)) are reported for the metal-to-ligand charge-transfer (MLCT) excited state(s) of [Ru(phen)(3)](2+) and [Os(phen)(DAS)(2)](2+) (phen is 1,10-phenanthroline; DAS is 1,2-bis(diphenylarsino)ethane) in acetonitrile-d(3) at 298 K. The spectra are assigned by comparison to electrochemically generated [Ru(III)(phen)(3)](3+) and [Ru(II)(phen(*)(-)())(phen)(2)](+). The data provide clear evidence for the localized description [Ru(III)(phen(*)(-)())(phen)(2)](2+) on the approximately 100 ns time scale. They also give insight into electronic distribution in the excited state, aid in the interpretation of the time-resolved resonance Raman spectrum of [Ru(phen)(3)](2+), and suggest why measuring ground- and excited-state resonance Raman spectra of phen complexes is difficult.