The Many Lives of [Ru(bpy)3]2+: A Historical Perspective.

[Ru(bpy)3]2+, tris(bipyridine)ruthenium(II), is a popular transition metal complex whose favorable photophysical properties have afforded it a central place in inorganic photochemistry and various related fields. In this perspective, in contrast to the large number of extant technical reviews, we instead note critical developments from a historical context. Of particular note are relatively lesser-known investigations in the field of analytical chemistry that predate the complex's rise to prominence as a photosensitizer. Recent studies that revisit the complex's own fundamental photophysics are also highlighted. Thus, in addition to serving as a proverbial almanac for the complex's rich history, this condensed perspective portends yet more fruitful lives for research into [Ru(bpy)3]2+, despite the many already lived.