Supramolecular Metal Ion Sensing using Luminophoric Labels based on Ruthenium(II) Bis-terpyridine and Tris-bipyridine Scaffoldings

Two unique systems are described where modification of the photophysical properties is observed in the presence of an adventitious cation. In the first system an enhancement of the emission properties of linear ruthenium(II) bis-terpyridine bearing a central chelating centre is found. In the second system restoration of the emissive properties of the chromophore is observed due to a conformation control of intramolecular electron transfer in a calix4]quinone bearing an appended ruthenium(II) tris-bipyridine chromophore.