Probes of the metal-to-ligand charge-transfer excited states in ruthenium-Am(m)ine-bipyridine complexes: the effects of NH/ND and CH/CD isotopic substitution on the 77 K luminescence

The effects of ligand perdeuteration on the metal-to-ligand charge-transfer (MLCT) excited-state emission properties at 77 K are described for several [Ru(L)(4)bpy](2+) complexes in which the emission process is nominally [uIII,bpy-] --> [RuII,bpy]. The perdeuteration of the 2,2'-bipyridine (bpy) ligand is found to increase the zero-point energy differences between the ground states and MLCT excited states by amounts that vary from 0 +/- 10 to 70 +/- 10 cm(-1) depending on the ligands L. This indicates that there are some vibrational modes with smaller force constants in the excited states than in the ground states for most of these complexes. These blue shifts increase approximately as the energy difference between the excited and ground states decreases, but they are otherwise not strongly correlated with the number of bipyridine ligands in the complex. Careful comparisons of the [Ru(L)(4)(d(8)-bpy)](2+) and [Ru(L)(4)(h(8)-bpy](2+) emission spectra are used to resolve the very weak vibronic contributions of the C-H stretching modes as the composite contributions of the corresponding vibrational reorganizational energies. The largest of these, 25 +/- 10 cm(-1), is found for the complexes with L = py or bpy/2 and smaller when L = NH(3). Perdeuteration of the am(m)ine ligands (NH(3), en, or [14]aneN(4)) has no significant effect on the zero-point energy difference, and the contributions of the NH stretching vibrational modes to the emission band shape are too weak to resolve. Ligand perdeuteration does increase the excited-state lifetimes by a factor that is roughly proportional to the excited-state-ground-state energy difference, even though the CH and NH vibrational reorganizational energies are too small for nuclear tunneling involving these modes to dominate the relaxation process. It is proposed that metal-ligand skeletal vibrational modes and configurational mixing between metal-centered, bpy-ligand-centered, and MLCT excited states are important in determining the zero-point energy differences, while a large number of different combinations of relatively low-frequency vibrational modes must contribute to the nonradiative relaxation of the MLCT excited states.     

Extending Excited-state Lifetimes by Interchromophoric Triplet-state Equilibration in a Pyrene-Ru(II)diimine Dyad System

The synthesis and the spectroscopic properties of a bichromophoric ruthenium trisbipyridyl-1,4-diethynylenebenzene-pyrene system (Ru-b-Py) and the corresponding pyrene ligand (b-Py) are reported. The ruthenium model systems Ru-b-OH, Ru-b-Ph are also presented. UV–Vis absorption and emission at room and low temperature and time-resolved spectroscopy are discussed. For the Ru-b-Py dyad, a mixing of the ³MLCT state of the ruthenium-based component and the triplet state of pyrene, ³Py, is observed. Time-resolved transient absorption studies performed on the Ru-b-Py and on the b-Py ligand show that the lowest energy absorption is due to the population of the triplet state localized on the pyrene-component. Time-resolved studies also evidenced a relatively slow forward triplet equilibration rate, in the order of 2×10⁵?s^-1 (5?μs), and an even slower back energy transfer rate, 3.3×10⁴?s^-1, still faster than the intrinsic decay time of the pyrene (200?μs).     

Star-shaped electrochemiluminescent metallodendrimers with central polypyridyl Ru(II) complexes: Synthesis and their photophysical and electrochemical properties

Several dendritic bridging ligands were designed and synthesized to develop more sensitive and efficient electrochemiluminescent (ECL) polynuclear Ru(II) complexes. Various types of novel two-armed, four-armed and six-armed tris(bipyridyl)ruthenium core dendrimers were synthesized by coordinating dendritic polybipyridyl ligands with Ru(II) complexes, and the effect of the ligand and the dendritic network on the ECL characteristics were studied. Their electrochemical redox potentials, UV, photoluminescence (PL), and relative ECL intensities were also investigated in detail. The synthesized metallodendrimers exhibited strong metal-to-ligand charge transfer (MLCT) absorption at 428-451 nm and emission at 591-601 nm. Most of the newly synthesized metallodendrimers showed enhanced ECL intensities compared to the reference complex, [Ru(o-phen)₃](PF₆)₂. In particular, the ECL intensities of the six-armed heptanuclear ruthenium complexes were almost four times greater than that of [Ru(o-phen)₃]²⁺. These metallodendrimers could be utilized as efficient ECL materials and light emitting devices.     

Excited State Tuning of Bis(tridentate) Ruthenium(II) Polypyridine Chromophores by Push–Pull Effects and Bite Angle Optimization: A Comprehensive Experimental and Theoretical Study

The synergy of push–pull substitution and enlarged ligand bite angles has been used in functionalized heteroleptic bis(tridentate) polypyridine complexes of ruthenium(II) to shift the ¹MLCT absorption and the ³MLCT emission to lower energy, enhance the emission quantum yield, and to prolong the ³MLCT excited‐state lifetime. In these complexes, that is, [Ru(ddpd)(EtOOC‐tpy)][PF₆]₂, [Ru(ddpd‐NH₂)(EtOOC‐tpy)][PF₆]₂, [Ru(ddpd){(MeOOC)₃‐tpy}][PF₆]₂, and [Ru(ddpd‐NH₂){(EtOOC)₃‐tpy}][PF₆]₂ the combination of the electron‐accepting 2,2′;6′,2′′‐terpyridine (tpy) ligand equipped with one or three COOR substituents with the electron‐donating N,N′‐dimethyl‐N,N′‐dipyridin‐2‐ylpyridine‐2,6‐diamine (ddpd) ligand decorated with none or one NH₂ group enforces spatially separated and orthogonal frontier orbitals with a small HOMO–LUMO gap resulting in low‐energy ¹MLCT and ³MLCT states. The extended bite angle of the ddpd ligand increases the ligand field splitting and pushes the deactivating ³MC state to higher energy. The properties of the new isomerically pure mixed ligand complexes have been studied by using electrochemistry, UV/Vis absorption spectroscopy, static and time‐resolved luminescence spectroscopy, and transient absorption spectroscopy. The experimental data were rationalized by using density functional calculations on differently charged species (charge n=0–4) and on triplet excited states (³MLCT and ³MC) as well as by time‐dependent density functional calculations (excited singlet states).     

Characteristics and properties of metal-to-ligand charge-transfer excited states in 2,3-bis(2-pyridyl)pyrazine and 2,2'-bypyridine ruthenium complexes. Perturbation-theory-based correlations of optical absorption and emission parameters with electrochemistry and thermal kinetics and related Ab initio calculations

The absorption, emission, and infrared spectra, metal (Ru) and ligand (PP) half-wave potentials, and ab initio calculations on the ligands (PP) are compared for several [L(n)()Ru(PP)](2+) and [[L(n)Ru]dpp[RuL'(n)]](4+) complexes, where L(n) and L'(n) = (bpy)(2) or (NH(3))(4) and PP = 2,2'-bipyridine (bpy), 2,3-bis(2-pyridyl)pyrazine (dpp), 2,3-bis(2-pyridyl)quinoxaline (dpq), or 2,3-bis(2pyridyl)benzoquinoxaline (dpb). The energy of the metal-to-ligand charge-transfer (MLCT) absorption maximum (hnu(max)) varies in nearly direct proportion to the difference between Ru(III)/Ru(II) and (PP)/(PP)(-) half-wave potentials, DeltaE(1/2), for the monometallic complexes but not for the bimetallic complexes. The MLCT spectra of [(NH(3))(4)Ru(dpp)](2+) exhibit three prominent visible-near-UV absorptions, compared to two for [(NH(3))(4)Ru(bpy)](2+), and are not easily reconciled with the MLCT spectra of [[(NH(3))(4)Ru]dpp[RuL(n)]](4+). The ab initio calculations indicate that the two lowest energy pi orbitals are not much different in energy in the PP ligands (they correlate with the degenerate pi orbitals of benzene) and that both contribute to the observed MLCT transitions. The LUMO energies calculated for the monometallic complexes correlate strongly with the observed hnu(max) (corrected for variations in metal contribution). The LUMO computed for dpp correlates with LUMO + 1 of pyrazine. This inversion of the order of the two lowest energy pi orbitals is unique to dpp in this series of ligands. Configurational mixing of the ground and MLCT excited states is treated as a small perturbation of the overall energies of the metal complexes, resulting in a contribution epsilon(s) to the ground-state energy. The fraction of charge delocalized, alpha(DA)(2), is expected to attenuate the reorganizational energy, chi(reorg), by a factor of approximately (1 - 4alpha(DA)(2) + alpha(DA)(4)), relative to the limit where there is no charge delocalization. This appears to be a substantial effect for these complexes (alpha(DA)(2) congruent with 0.1 for Ru(II)/bpy), and it leads to smaller reorganizational energies for emission than for absorption. Reorganizational energies are inferred from the bandwidths found in Gaussian analyses of the emission and/or absorption spectra. Exchange energies are estimated from the Stokes shifts combined with perturbation--theory-based relationship between the reorganizational energies for absorption and emission values. The results indicate that epsilon(s) is dominated by terms that contribute to electron delocalization between metal and PP ligand. This inference is supported by the large shifts in the N-H stretching frequency of coordinated NH(3) as the number of PP ligands is increased. The measured properties of the bpy and dpp ligands seem to be very similar, but electron delocalization appears to be slightly larger (10-40%) and the exchange energy contributions appear to be comparable (e.g., approximately 1.7 x 10(3) cm(-1) in [Ru(bpy)(2)dpp](2+) compared to approximately 1.3 x 10(3) cm(-1) in the bpy analogue).     

The Effect of Heavy Atoms on Photoinduced Electron Injection from Nonthermalized and Thermalized Donor States of MII–Polypyridyl (M=Ru/Os) Complexes to Nanoparticulate TiO2 Surfaces: An Ultrafast Time‐Resolved Absorption Study

We have synthesized ruthenium(II)– and osmium(II)–polypyridyl complexes ([M(bpy)₂ L ]²⁺, in which M=Os^II or Ru^II, bpy=2,2′‐bipyridyl, and L =4‐(2,2′‐bipyridinyl‐4‐yl)benzene‐1,2‐diol) and studied the interfacial electron‐transfer process on a TiO₂ nanoparticle surface using femtosecond transient‐absorption spectroscopy. Ruthenium(II)‐ and osmium(II)‐based dyes have a similar molecular structure; nevertheless, we have observed quite different interfacial electron‐transfer dynamics (both forward and backward). In the case of the Ru^II/TiO₂ system, single‐exponential electron injection takes place from photoexcited nonthermalized metal‐to‐ligand charge transfer (MLCT) states. However, in the case of the Os^II/TiO₂ system, electron injection takes place biexponentially from both nonthermalized and thermalized MLCT states (mainly ³MLCT states). Larger spin–orbit coupling for the heavier transition‐metal osmium, relative to that of ruthenium, accounts for the more efficient population of the ³MLCT states in the Os^II‐based dye during the electron‐injection process that yields biexponential dynamics. Our results tend to suggest that appropriately designed Os^II–polypyridyl dye can be a better sensitizer molecule relative to its Ru^II analogue not only due to much broader absorption in the visible region of the solar‐emission spectrum, but also on account of slower charge recombination.     

Computational studies on the spectroscopic properties of the 2‐pyridylpyrazolate‐based platinum(II) complexes with modified pyrazolate fragment

Electronic structures and spectroscopic properties of a series of platinum(II) complexes based on the 2‐pyridylpyrazolate ligand with modified pyrazolate fragment have been studied by the time‐dependent density functional theory (TD‐DFT) calculations. The ground‐ and excited‐state structures were optimized by the DFT and single‐excitation configuration interaction (CIS) methods, respectively. The calculated structures and spectroscopic properties are in agreement with the corresponding experimental results. The results of the spectroscopic investigations revealed that the lowest‐energy absorptions have ^1,3MLCT/^1,3ILCT mixing characters. When the electron‐withdrawing groups (? CF₃, ? C₃F₇) are introduced into the pyrazolate fragment, the lowest‐energy absorptions are blue‐shifted compared with that without substituents on the pyrazolate fragment, while the opposite case is observed for the electron‐donating groups (? Me, ? ^tBu, etc.). Otherwise, the phosphorescent emissions of these complexes have the ³MLCT/³ILCT character and should be originated from the lowest‐energy absorptions. When the pyrazolate fragment is replaced by the indazole group, the HOMO and LUMO orbitals of the pyridyl‐indazolate ligand platinum(II) complexes have obvious π and π* orbital characters. Therefore, there is no evident MLCT character in the lowest energy absorption and emission. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2009     

Influence of the "innocent" ligands on the MLCT excited-state behavior of mono(bipyridine)ruthenium(II) complexes: a comparison of X-ray structures and 77 K luminescence properties

The variations in the nonchromophoric ligands of [Ru(L)4bpy]2+ complexes are shown to result in large changes in emission band shapes, even when the emission energies are similar. These changes in band shape are systematically examined by means of the generation of empirical reorganizational energy profiles (emreps) from the observed emission spectra (Xie, P.; et al. J. Phys. Chem. A 2005, 109, 4671), where these profiles provide convenient probes of the differences in distortions from the ground-state structures of the 2,2-bipyridine (bpy) ligands (for distortion modes near 1500 cm(-1)) in the metal-to-ligand charge-transfer (MLCT) excited states for a series of complexes with the same ruthenium(II) bipyridine chromophore. The bpy ligand is nearly planar in the X-ray structures of the complexes with (L)4 = (NH3)4, triethylenetetraamine (trien), and 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane ([12]aneN4). However, for (L)4 = 5,12-rac-5,7,7,12,14,14-hexamethyl-1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetradecane, the X-ray crystal structure shows that the bpy ligand is twisted in the ground state (a result of methyl/bpy stereochemical repulsion) and the emrep amplitude at about 1500 cm(-1) is significantly larger for this structure than for the complex with (L)4 = 1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetradecane, consistent with larger reorganizational energies of the bpy distortion modes in order to form a planar (bpy(-)) moiety in the excited state of the former. The trien and [12]aneN4 complexes have very nearly the same emission energies, yet the 40% smaller vibronic sideband intensity of the latter indicates that the MLCT excited state is significantly less distorted; this smaller distortion and the related shift in the distribution of distortion mode reorganizational energy amplitudes is apparently related to the 36-fold longer lifetime for (L)4 = [12]aneN4 than for (L)4 = trien. For the majority (77%) of the [Ru(L)4bpy]2+ complexes examined, there is a systematic decrease in emrep amplitudes near 1500 cm(-1), consistent with decreasing excited-state distortion, with the excited-state energy as is expected for ground state-excited state configurational mixing in a simple two-state model. However, the complexes with L = [12]aneN4, 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododeca-1-ene, and (py)4 all have smaller emrep amplitudes and thus less distorted excited states than related complexes with the same emission energy. The observations are not consistent with simple two-state models and seem to require an additional distortion induced by excited state-excited state configurational mixing in most complexes. Because the stereochemical constraints of the coordinated [12]aneN4 ligand restrict tetragonal distortions around the metal, configurational mixing of the 3MLCT excited state with a triplet ligand-field excited state of Ru(II) could account for some of the variations in excited-state distortion. The large number of vibrational distortion modes and their small vibrational reorganizational energies in these complexes indicate that a very large number of relaxation channels contribute to the variations in 3MLCT lifetimes and that the metal-ligand skeletal modes are likely to contribute to some of these channels.     

Acid-Base Properties of the Ground and Excited States of Ruthenium(II) Tris(4′-methyl-2,2′-bipyridine-4-carboxylic Acid)

The acid dissociation constant, pK_a, for the ground and excited states of ruthenium tris(4′-methyl-2,2′-bipyridine-4-carboxylic acid) complex have been measured. The ground state pK_a obtained from the pH titration curve of the complex absorption at 454 nm was 2.5. The lifetimes of the excited-state for deprotonated and protonated ruthenium complexes are 595 and 150 ns, respectively. The excited-state pK_a* is obtained from the emission titration curve at 630 nm and corrected for the excited-state lifetime to be 4.2. The increase of 1.7 pH units in the acid dissociation constant in the excited-state indicates that the ligand is much more basic in the excited-state. This result confirms the MLCT assignment for the lowest electronic transition of [Ru(mbpyCOOH)₃]²⁺.     

[Bis(trispivalatodimolybdenum (II))-μ-bis(4′-carboxylato-2,2′:6′,2″-terpyridine) ruthenium (II)] (2+) Tetrafluoroborate: Photophysical Studies

The photophysical properties of the title compound have been studied by fs and ns transient absorption spectroscopy. The electronic absorption spectrum consists of three principle absorptions assigned to terpy ¹LLCT at ~300 nm, ruthenium (II) t_2g⁶ to terpy ¹MLCT at ~470 nm and Mo₂ δ to terpycarboxylate at ~670 nm. The compound shows weak room temperature emission in THF solution at ~1,100 nm when excited into each of the aforementioned bands. This emission is assigned to the T₁ state, ³MMδδ*. Transient absorption spectroscopy indicates a lifetime for T₁ of 9.6 μs. This paper is dedicated to Prof. C. N. R. Rao.     

THE BLUE ANOMALOUS EMISSION OF LARGE AND SMALL PHYTOCHROME*

–Small and immunoaffinity-purified large phytochrome (P_r and P_fr) show a so-called anomalous fluorescence with λ^em_max= 470 and 440 nm, respectively, when irradiated within the blue absorption band. Model studies indicate that this emission arises from a dipyrromethenone partial structure produced by a nucleophilic addition to the central carbon C-10 of the bilindione chromophore. The anomalous emitter of phytochrome is thus similar to one bilirubin conformer which has previously been found to contribute to the absorption and emission of the bile pigment.     

Aryl-diamide bridged binuclear ruthenium (II) tris(bipyridine) complexes: Synthesis, photophysical, electrochemical and electrochemiluminescence properties

Several new symmetrical aromatic hydrocarbon bridged bipyridine ligands and their binuclear Ru (II) complexes have been designed, synthesized and characterized on the basis of ¹H NMR, MS and HRMS. Their absorption and emission properties, electrochemical behaviors and electrochemical luminescence were investigated. All ruthenium complexes show characteristic MLCT absorption and similar redox potential. Among the three complexes reported, 4c has the best electrochemical luminescence property.     

A New Heteroleptic Ruthenium(II) Polypyridyl Complex with Long‐Wavelength Absorption and High Singlet‐Oxygen Quantum Yield

Ruthenium(II) polypyridyl complexes with long‐wavelength absorption and high singlet‐oxygen quantum yield exhibit attractive potential in photodynamic therapy. A new heteroleptic Ru^II polypyridyl complex, [Ru(bpy)(dpb)(dppn)]²⁺ (bpy=2,2′‐bipyridine, dpb=2,3‐bis(2‐pyridyl)benzoquinoxaline, dppn=4,5,9,16‐tetraaza‐dibenzo[a,c]naphthacene), is reported, which exhibits a ¹MLCT (MLCT: metal‐to‐ligand charge transfer) maximum as long as 548 nm and a singlet‐oxygen quantum yield as high as 0.43. Steady/transient absorption/emission spectra indicate that the lowest‐energy MLCT state localizes on the dpb ligand, whereas the high singlet‐oxygen quantum yield results from the relatively long ³MLCT(Ru→dpb) lifetime, which in turn is the result of the equilibrium between nearly isoenergetic excited states of ³MLCT(Ru→dpb) and ³ππ*(dppn). The dppn ligand also ensures a high binding affinity of the complex towards DNA. Thus, the combination of dpb and dppn gives the complex promising photodynamic activity, fully demonstrating the modularity and versatility of heteroleptic Ru^II complexes. In contrast, [Ru(bpy)₂(dpb)]²⁺ shows a long‐wavelength ¹MLCT maximum (551 nm) but a very low singlet‐oxygen quantum yield (0.22), and [Ru(bpy)₂(dppn)]²⁺ shows a high singlet‐oxygen quantum yield (0.79) but a very short wavelength ¹MLCT maximum (442 nm).     

The characterization of the high-frequency vibronic contributions to the 77 K emission spectra of ruthenium-am(m)ine-bipyridyl complexes, their attenuation with decreasing energy gaps, and the implications of strong electronic coupling for inverted-region electron transfer

The 77 K emission spectra of a series of [Ru(Am)6-2n(bpy)n]2+ complexes (n = 1-3) have been determined in order to evaluate the effects of appreciable excited state (e)/ground state (g) configurational mixing on the properties of simple electron-transfer systems. The principal focus is on the vibronic contributions, and the correlated distortions of the bipyridine ligand in the emitting MLCT excited state. To address the issues that are involved, the emission band shape at 77 K is interpreted as the sum of a fundamental component, corresponding to the {e,0'} --> {g,0} transition, and progressions in the ground-state vibrational modes that correlate with the excited-state distortion. Literature values of the vibrational parameters determined from the resonance-Raman (rR) for [Ru(NH3)4bpy]2+ and [Ru(bpy)3]2+ are used to model the emission spectra and to evaluate the spectral analysis. The Gaussian fundamental component with an energy Ef and bandwidth Deltanu1/2 is deconvoluted from the observed emission spectrum. The first-, second-, and third-order terms in the progressions of the vibrational modes that contribute to the band shape are evaluated as the sums of Gaussian-shaped contributions of width Deltanu1/2. The fundamental and the rR parameters give an excellent fit of the observed emission spectrum of [Ru(NH3)4bpy]2+, but not as good for the [Ru(bpy)3]2+ emission spectrum probably because the Franck-Condon excited state probed by the rR is different in symmetry from the emitting MLCT excited state. Variations in vibronic contributions for the series of complexes are evaluated in terms of reorganizational energy profiles (emreps, Lambdax) derived from the observed spectra, and modeled using the rR parameters. This modeling demonstrates that most of the intensity of the vibronic envelopes obtained from the frozen solution emission spectra arises from the overlapping of first-order vibronic contributions of significant bandwidth with additional convoluted contributions of higher order vibronic terms. The emrep amplitudes of these complexes have their maxima at about 1500 cm(-1) in frozen solution, and Lambdax(max) decreases systematically by approximately 2-fold as Ef decreases from 17,220 for [Ru(bpy)3]2+ to 12,040 cm(-1) for [Ru(NH3)4bpy]2+ through the series of complexes. Corrections for higher order contributions and bandwidth differences based on the modeling with rR parameters indicate that the variations in Lambdax(max) imply somewhat larger decreases in first-order bpy vibrational reorganizational energies. The large attenuation of vibrational reorganizational energies of the [Ru(Am)6-2n(bpy)n]2+ complexes contrasts with the apparent similarity of reorganizational energy amplitudes for the absorption and emission of [Ru(NH3)4bpy]2+. These observations are consistent with increasing and very substantial excited-state/ground-state configurational mixing and decreasing excited-state distortion as Ef decreases, but more severe attenuation for singlet/singlet than triplet/singlet mixing (alphage > alphaeg for the configurational mixing coefficients at the ground-state and excited-state potential energy minima, respectively); it is inferred that 0.18 > or = alphage2 > or = 0.09 for [Ru(bpy)3]2+ and 0.37 > or = alphage2 > or = 0.18 for [Ru(NH3)4bpy]2+ in DMSO/water glasses, where the ranges are based on models that there is or is not a spin restriction on configurational mixing (alphage > alphaeg and alphage = alphaeg), respectively, for these complexes.     

Chemical control of competing electron transfer pathways in iron tetracyano-polypyridyl photosensitizers

Photoinduced intramolecular electron transfer dynamics following metal-to-ligand charge-transfer (MLCT) excitation of [Fe(CN)₄(2,2′-bipyridine)]²⁻ (1), [Fe(CN)₄(2,3-bis(2-pyridyl)pyrazine)]²⁻ (2) and [Fe(CN)₄(2,2′-bipyrimidine)]²⁻ (3) were investigated in various solvents with static and time-resolved UV-Visible absorption spectroscopy and Fe 2p3d resonant inelastic X-ray scattering (RIXS). This series of polypyridyl ligands, combined with the strong solvatochromism of the complexes, enables the ¹MLCT vertical energy to be varied from 1.64 eV to 2.64 eV and the ³MLCT lifetime to range from 180 fs to 67 ps. The ³MLCT lifetimes in 1 and 2 decrease exponentially as the MLCT energy increases, consistent with electron transfer to the lowest energy triplet metal-centred (³MC) excited state, as established by the Tanabe–Sugano analysis of the Fe 2p3d RIXS data. In contrast, the ³MLCT lifetime in 3 changes non-monotonically with MLCT energy, exhibiting a maximum. This qualitatively distinct behaviour results from a competing ³MLCT → ground state (GS) electron transfer pathway that exhibits energy gap law behaviour. The ³MLCT → GS pathway involves nuclear tunnelling for the high-frequency polypyridyl breathing mode (hν = 1530 cm⁻¹), which is most displaced for complex 3, making this pathway significantly more efficient. Our study demonstrates that the excited state relaxation mechanism of Fe polypyridyl photosensitizers can be readily tuned by ligand and solvent environment. Furthermore, our study reveals that extending charge transfer lifetimes requires control of the relative energies of the ³MLCT and the ³MC states and suppression of the intramolecular distortion of the acceptor ligand in the ³MLCT excited state.

Photoinduced intramolecular electron transfer in Fe tetracyano-polypyridyl complexes was investigated with static and time-resolved UV-visible absorption and resonant inelastic X-ray scattering which revealed a competition of two relaxation pathways.     

Antibacterial and luminescent properties of new donor–acceptor ruthenium triphenylphosphine–bipyridinium complexes

The known compounds N-(2,4-dinitrophenyl)-4,4′-bipyridinium (2,4-DNPhQ⁺), N-phenyl-4,4′-bipyridinium (PhQ⁺) and N-(4-acetylphenyl)-4,4′-bipyridinium (4-AcPhQ⁺) have been used to prepare a series of ruthenium complexes of the type [RuCl(CO)(PPh₃)₂(L)] (where, L = 2,4-DNPhQ⁺ or PhQ⁺ or 4-AcPhQ⁺). The latter complexes reacted with sulphur derivative to give [RuCl(CO)(PPh₃)₂(L)(L′)] (where, L′ = thio-9-xanthone). These new ruthenium complexes display intense, visible metal-to-ligand charge-transfer (MLCT) absorptions, due to dπ(Ru) → π*(pyridinium) excitations. The MLCT energy decreases as the acceptor strength increases in the order PhQ⁺ < 4-AcPhQ⁺ < 2,4-DNPhQ⁺. The new ruthenium complexes have been characterized by using standard analytical and spectroscopic techniques. Fluorescence and antibacterial activity of the ligands and appropriate complexes has also been carried out.     

Synthesis,Electrochemistry, and Photophysical Studies of Ruthenium(II) Polypyridine Complexes with D–π–A–π–D Type Ligands and Their Application Studies as Organic Memories

A new class of ruthenium(II) polypyridine complexes with a series of D–π–A–π–D type (D=donor, A=acceptor) ligands was synthesized and characterized by ¹H NMR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, and elemental analysis. The photophysical and electrochemical properties of the complexes were also investigated. The newly synthesized ruthenium(II) polypyridine complexes were found to exhibit two intense absorption bands at both high‐energy (λ=333–369 nm) and low‐energy (λ=520–535 nm) regions. They are assigned as intraligand (IL) π→π* transitions of the bipyridine (bpy) and π‐conjugated bpy ligands, and IL charge‐transfer (CT) transitions from the donor to the acceptor moiety with mixing of dπ(Ru^II)→π*(bpy) and dπ(Ru^II)→π*(L) MLCT characters, respectively. In addition, all complexes were demonstrated to exhibit intense red emissions at approximately λ=727–744 nm in degassed dichloromethane at 298 K or in n‐butyronitrile glass at 77 K. Nanosecond transient absorption (TA) spectroscopy has also been carried out, establishing the presence of the charge‐separated state. In order to understand the electrochemical properties of the complexes, cyclic voltammetry has also been performed. Two quasi‐reversible oxidation couples and three quasi‐reversible reduction couples were observed. One of the ruthenium(II) complexes has been utilized in the fabrication of memory devices, in which an ON/OFF current ratio of over 10⁴ was obtained.     

Synthesis,characterization and photochemistry of some monometallic and bimetallic 2,2′-bipyrimidine complexes of chromium and tungsten carbonyls

Synthesis, electronic absorption spectra, ¹³C NMR and photochemistry are reported for the complexes M(CO)₄bpym (M = Cr or W) and [W(CO)₄]₂bpym. The electronic absorption spectra indicate, for these complexes, that the lowest lying metal-to-ligand (L) charge transfer (MLCT) excited state is lower in energy than the ligand field (LF) excited states. The ¹³C NMR spectra showed that the chemical shifts of C(5) and C(6) for the M-bpym complexes move downfield with respect to that of the free ligand, bpym, while C(4) moves upfield upon complexation. Small, wavelength-dependent quantum yields for loss of CO were obtained upon irradiation. These quantum yields were an order of magnitude larger for the Cr-bpym complex than for the W complexes (Φ = 2.4 x 10^?2 quanta/min for Cr-bpym, 2.5 x 10^?3 quanta/min for W-bpym and 1.1 x 10^?3 quanta/min for W-bpym-W, λ_irr = 366 nm).     

Green-Light Activation of Push–Pull Ruthenium(II) Complexes

Synthesis, characterization, electrochemistry, and photophysics of homo- and heteroleptic ruthenium(II) complexes [Ru(cpmp)₂]²⁺ ( 2²⁺ ) and [Ru(cpmp)(ddpd)]²⁺ ( 3²⁺ ) bearing the tridentate ligands 6,2’’-carboxypyridyl-2,2’-methylamine-pyridyl-pyridine (cpmp) and N,N’-dimethyl-N,N’-dipyridin-2-ylpyridine-2,6-diamine (ddpd) are reported. The complexes possess one ( 3²⁺ ) or two ( 2²⁺ ) electron-deficient dipyridyl ketone fragments as electron-accepting sites enabling intraligand charge transfer (ILCT), ligand-to-ligand charge transfer (LL'CT) and low-energy metal-to-ligand charge transfer (MLCT) absorptions. The latter peak around 544 nm (green light). Complex 2²⁺ shows ³MLCT phosphorescence in the red to near-infrared spectral region at room temperature in deaerated acetonitrile solution with an emission quantum yield of 1.3 % and a ³MLCT lifetime of 477 ns, whereas 3²⁺ is much less luminescent. This different behavior is ascribed to the energy gap law and the shape of the parasitic excited ³MC state potential energy surface. This study highlights the importance of the excited-state energies and geometries for the actual excited-state dynamics. Aromatic and aliphatic amines reductively quench the excited state of 2²⁺ paving the way to photocatalytic applications using low-energy green light as exemplified with the green-light-sensitized thiol–ene click reaction.     

Iodide Recognition and Sensing in Water by a Halogen‐Bonding Ruthenium(II)‐Based Rotaxane

The synthesis and anion‐recognition properties of the first halogen‐bonding rotaxane host to sense anions in water is described. The rotaxane features a halogen‐bonding axle component, which is stoppered with water‐solubilizing permethylated β‐cyclodextrin motifs, and a luminescent tris(bipyridine)ruthenium(II)‐based macrocycle component. ¹H NMR anion‐binding titrations in D₂O reveal the halogen‐bonding rotaxane to bind iodide with high affinity and with selectively over the smaller halide anions and sulfate. The binding affinity trend was explained through molecular dynamics simulations and free‐energy calculations. Photo‐physical investigations demonstrate the ability of the interlocked halogen‐bonding host to sense iodide in water, through enhancement of the macrocycle component’s Ru^II metal–ligand charge transfer (MLCT) emission.