Novel syntheses of the bipyridine ligand 1, dcHb (dcHb= 4, 4'-dicarboxy-2, 2'-bipyridine), by anionic oxidation of 4, 4'-dimethyl-2', 2-bipyridine (dmb) using molecular oxygen (4 atm), and of the sensitizer precursor 4, tris (4, 4'-diethoxycarbonyl-2, 2'-bipyridine) ruthenium (II) bis (triflate), from a chloride-free Ru (II) precursor 3b, RuII (DMSO) 4 (triflate) 2-n (EtOH) n (n= 0-2, DMSO= dimethyl sulfoxide, triflate= OSO2CF3) are reported. The anionic ...