Redox-induced Ru(bpy)(3)(2+)-methylviologen radical formation and its dimerization in cucurbit[8]uril.

A redox-induced radical Ru(bpy)(3)(2+)-(CH(2))(n)-MV(+)˙ (n = 4, 7) and its dimerization in cucurbit[8]uril (CB[8]) have been observed concomitantly in aqueous solution, which depends heavily on the length of the carbon chain linkage, in the case of n = 4, the characteristic pattern for the radical dimer is predominating, while that for the radical becomes dominated for n = 7.