Magnesium(II) Complexes with High Emission: The Distinct Charge‐Transfer Process from Transition Metal

Generally, the first‐row transition‐metal complexes are notorious in luminescence materials because of their metal‐ligand charge transfer in emission process. Herein, we rationally used magnesium instead the first‐row transition metal to coordinate with 2‐(anthracen‐9‐yl)‐1H‐imidazo4,5‐f]1,10]phenanthroline (AIP) in the construction of luminescent complexes. Further investigation revealed AIP could work as detector for quantitative determination of Mg²⁺ cation. Comparing to other divalent cations, this fluorescence sensor exhibited high selectivity for the quantitative determination of Mg²⁺ with the low limit of detection (5 × 10^–7 m ). Through X‐ray single crystal diffraction, the crystal structures of Mg(AIP₂)(NO₃)₂ · (H₂O)₄] ( 1 ), Mn(AIP)(NO₃) · EtOH] ( 2 ), and Co₂(AIP)₂Cl₄ · (MeOH)₂] ( 3 ) were observed in various arrangements. The theory calculations based on crystal structures indicated the Mg^II complex undergoes distinct charge‐transfer process from other transition‐metals based compounds, in which charge‐transfer excited‐state lifetimes were deactivated rapidly through metal‐to‐ligand charge‐transfer (MLCT) process. This study provided insight into construction of luminescence compounds by using d⁰ metals in main groups instead of transition metals.