Metal‐to‐Metal Distance Modulated Au(I)/Ru(II) Cyclophanyl Complexes: Cooperative Effects in Photoredox Catalysis

The modular synthesis of Au(I)/Ru(II) decorated mono‐ and heterobimetallic complexes with π‐conjugated [2.2]paracyclophane is described. [2.2]Paracyclophane serves as a rigid spacer which holds the metal centers in precise spatial orientations and allows metal‐to‐metal distance modulation. A broad set of architectural arrangements of pseudo ‐geminal, ‐ortho, ‐meta, and ‐para substitution patterns were employed. Metal‐to‐metal distance modulation of Au(I)/Ru(II) heterobimetallic complexes and the innate transannular π‐communication of the cyclophanyl scaffold provides a promising platform for the investigations of structure‐activity relationship and cooperative effects. The Au(I)/Ru(II) heterobimetallic cyclophanyl complexes are stable, easily accessible, and exhibit promising catalytic activity in the visible‐light promoted arylative Meyer‐Schuster rearrangement.