Spectral,luminescent, and electrochemical properties of cyclometalated complexes of Rh(III) based on 1-phenylpyrazole with ethylenediamine and heterocyclic diimines

A series of [Rh(ppz)₂(N^N)]⁺ complexes (ppz^? is the deprotonated form of 1-phenylpyrazole and (N^N) is ethylenediamine, 2,2′-bipyridyl, 1,10-phenanthroline, 4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline, and 2,2′-biquinoline) is obtained and characterized by ¹H NMR spectroscopy, electronic absorption and emission spectroscopy, and cyclic voltamperometry. A 0.75-V anodic shift of the ligand-centered reduction potentials of complexes compared to free heterocyclic (N^N) ligands is observed. The vibrationally structured luminescence spectra of complexes are attributed to intraligand spin-forbidden optical transitions localized on the {Rh(N^N)} metal-complex fragments.