NEW TRENDS IN THE DESIGN OF LUMINESCENT METAL COMPLEXES*

The requirements needed for an ideal luminophore are discussed with reference to the luminescent properties of organic molecules and metal complexes. Recent strategies for the design of luminescent metal complexes are discussed, with particular emphasis on cage-type complexes and oligonuclear homo- and hetero-metallic complexes.     

Applications of luminescent inorganic and organometallic transition metal complexes as biomolecular and cellular probes

The rich photophysical properties of luminescent inorganic and organometallic transition metal complexes, such as their intense, long-lived, and environment-sensitive emission, render them excellent candidates for biological and cellular studies. In this Perspective, we review examples of biological probes derived from luminescent transition metal complexes with a d(6), d(8), or d(10) metal center. The design of luminescent covalent labels and noncovalent probes for protein molecules is discussed. Additionally, the recent applications of these complexes as cellular probes and bioimaging reagents are described. Emphasis is put on the structural features, photophysical behavior, biomolecular interactions, cellular uptake, and intracellular localization properties of luminescent transition metal complexes.     

Long-lived higher excited state luminescence from new ruthenium(II)–allenylidene complexes

Resonance Raman spectra of heteroatom substituted ruthenium(II)-allenylidene complexes, obtained by irradiation into the second electronic absorption band, clearly prove the d(Ru)→π*(CCC) MLCT character of the corresponding electronic transition. The complexes are not significantly luminescent at room temperature, but in solvent glasses at 77 K, emission is observed. Only some of the complexes studied are luminescent upon irradiation into their lowest-energy absorption band. The striking finding of this study is that almost all complexes are luminescent on irradiation into their second absorption band. The emission was shown to originate from a higher lying ³MLCT state, which shows that internal conversion to the lowest excited state is very inefficient in these complexes.     

异核稀土双亚砜配合物的合成、表征和荧光性质

合成得到一系列异核土双乙烷配合物和异核稀土双乙烷与１,１０－啡咯啉的配合物,通过元素分析,电感耦合等离子体法,电导,红外和紫外光谱对配合进行了表征,并研究了这些配合物的固体和溶液的荧光光谱。     

Luminescent complexes beyond the platinum group: the d10 avenue

Luminescent metal complexes are key materials for several applications such as lighting, analytical probes, and lasers. In many cases compounds based on precious (i.e. platinum group) and rare earth metals are utilized, which are often rather expensive and environmentally problematic. In recent years, interest is growing in luminescent complexes based on less traditional but more abundant and cheaper metal elements. In this scenario compounds of metals with a d10 electronic configuration are playing a prominent role, also thanks to the versatility of their luminescent levels which can be of ligand centred, charge transfer or, in the case of polynuclear compounds, even metal-centred nature. Here we focus on some selected examples of Cu(I), Ag(I), Au(I), Zn(II) and Cd(II) luminescent complexes to suggest some possible routes towards promising and unprecedented emitting materials.     

Recent progress of luminescent metal complexes with photochromic units

Photo-responsive molecules have been studied extensively because of their light irradiation abilities that enable modulation of certain physical and chemical properties in emerging molecular electronic and photonic devices. For advanced photonic applications, photochromic metal complexes that have photochromic units as the photo-responsive ligand are highly desirable, as they allow improvement of the photochromic properties and their photo-switching functionality. This article focuses on recent progress in luminescent metal complexes with photochromic units. Luminescence-switching properties of photochromic metal complexes depend on characteristic electronic transitions. The electronic transitions of photochromic metal complexes can be divided into three categories: (1) π–π* transition of the ligand, (2) metal to ligand charge transfer (MLCT) in transition-metal complex, and (3) f–f transition in lanthanide complex. Luminescence modulation using various metal complexes with photochromic units has been studied extensively in recent years, and various applications for future molecular switching devices are expected in the field of advanced photonics. Based on the literature and our studies on luminescent metal complexes with photochromic units, we report on the recent progress of luminescent metal complexes with photochromic units.     

Luminescent metal complexes of d6, d8 and d10 transition metal centres

This highlight focuses on various luminescent complexes with different transition metal centres of d(6), d(8) and d(10) electronic configurations. Through the systematic study on the variation of ligands, structural and bonding modes of different metal centres, the structure-property relationships of the various classes of luminescent transition metal complexes can be obtained. With the knowledge and fundamental understanding of their photophysical behaviours, their electronic absorption and luminescence properties can be fine-tuned. Introduction of supramolecular assembly with hierarchical complexity involving non-covalent interactions could lead to research dimensions of unlimited possibilities and opportunities. The approach of "function by design" could be employed to explore and exploit the potential applications of such luminescent transition metal complexes for future development of luminescent materials.     

Eu~(3+)-Dy~(3+)稀土配合物的合成及其发光性质

以2,4,6-吡啶三甲酸为配体,通过水热方法合成出含Eu3+和Dy3+两种稀土离子的一系列配合物;测定了配合物的发光性质.结果表明,通过掺杂不同比例的Dy3+可以得到荧光强度不同的配合物,其在紫外光照射下发出Eu3+的特征红色荧光;随着Dy3+含量的增加,Eu3+的特征荧光逐渐减弱.这说明该系列配合物中的Dy3+对Eu3+的荧光产生猝灭作用;其原因可能是配体吸收的激发能被Dy3+在近红外区的辐射跃迁所损耗.     

Efficient Formation of Luminescent Lanthanide(III) Complexes by Solid‐Phase Synthesis and On‐Resin Screening

Time‐resolved luminescence measurements of luminescent lanthanide complexes have advantages in biological assays and high‐throughput screening, owing to their high sensitivity. In spite of the recent advances in their energy‐transfer mechanism and molecular‐orbital‐based computational molecular design, it is still difficult to estimate the quantum yields of new luminescent lanthanide complexes. Herein, solid‐phase libraries of luminescent lanthanide complexes were prepared through amide‐condensation and Pd‐catalyzed coupling reactions and their luminescent properties were screened with a microplate reader. Good correlation was observed between the time‐resolved luminescence intensities of the solid‐phase libraries and those of the corresponding complexes that were synthesized by using liquid‐phase chemistry. This method enabled the rapid and efficient development of new sensitizers for Sm^III, Eu^III, and Tb^III luminescence. Thus, solid‐phase combinatorial synthesis combined with on‐resin screening led to the discovery of a wide variety of luminescent sensitizers.     

Design of luminescent iridium(III) and rhenium(I) polypyridine complexes as in vitro and in vivo ion,molecular and biological probes

Many luminescent transition metal polypyridine complexes display intense and long-lived triplet charge-transfer and intraligand transition emission with a large Stokes’ shift. These properties render them promising candidates as luminescent probes for ions, DNA, peptides, proteins and other biological entities. In this review article, we have summarised recent reports on ion, molecular and biological probes derived from luminescent rhenium(I) and iridium(III) polypyridine complexes. These complexes have been appended with different recognition moieties that interact with ions and biological molecules. The recognition is reflected by a change of spectroscopic and/or photophysical properties of the probes. The use of these complexes as cellular probes and imaging reagents has also been discussed.     

铕(Ⅲ)、铽(Ⅲ) β-二酮配合物的制备及表征

醋酸铕、醋酸铽分别与乙酰丙酮在60°C水浴下加热回流,生成两种稀土β-二酮配合物,即乙酰丙酮铕(Eu(acac)3?3H2O)和乙酰丙酮铽(Tb(acac)3?3H2O),在紫外灯下观察配合物发光现象,乙酰丙酮铕在紫外灯下显暗红色,乙酰丙酮铽在紫外灯下显亮绿色。红外分析结果与理论相吻合,荧光分析表明它们是较好的荧光材料,热分析结果说明它们的热稳定性相对较高。     

Synthesis of Two Blue-light-emitting Complexes with Schiff Base Calixarene as the Ligand

Two new blue luminescent zinc and beryllium complexes with Schiff base calixarene derivative as the ligand were prepared.Their luminescent properties were determined,which indicated that they had strong blue fluorescent properties.They also had good solubility and film formation.These new complexes can be used as blue organic electroluminescent materials (OELMs) in organic electroluminescent devices.     

Highly Phosphorescent Crystals of Square‐Planar Platinum Complexes with Chiral Organometallic Linkers: Homochiral versus Heterochiral Arrangements,Induced Circular Dichroism,and TD‐DFT Calculations

A novel class of chiral luminescent square‐planar platinum complexes with a π‐bonded chiral thioquinonoid ligand is described. Remarkably the presence of this chiral organometallic ligand controls the aggregation of this square planar luminophor and imposes a homo‐ or hetero‐chiral arrangement at the supramolecular level, displaying non‐covalent Pt–Pt and π–π interactions. Interestingly these complexes are highly luminescent in the crystalline state and their photophysical properties can be traced to their aggregation in the solid state. A TD‐DFT calculation is obtained to rationalize this unique behavior.     

Surface Modification and Functionalization of Microporous Hybrid Material for Luminescence Sensing

We report here on the preparation of novel luminescent core‐shell material by initial coating with polyelectrolytes and subsequent with a silica shell on the lanthanide complexes loaded zeolite L microcrystals. Lanthanide complexes loaded zeolite L was prepared by insertion of 2‐thenoyltrifluoroacetone (TTA) into the nanochannels of zeolite crystals by gas diffusion of TTA to Eu³⁺ exchanged zeolite L, coating a silica shell on the lanthanide complexes loaded zeolite L resulted to the novel luminescent core‐shell material. The luminescent core‐shell material was further functionalized with silylated terbium(III) complex and the obtained material was used as the luminescence sensing of dipicolinic acid (DPA), which is a major constituent of many pathogenic spore‐forming bacteria.     

Interactions of Transition-Metal-Complex Photosensitizers with Polymers and Organized Media

The interactions of luminescent platinum metal complexes with a variety of organized media, including micelles, cyclodextrins, and solid polymers, are described. In particular, Ru(II), Os(II), and Re(I) complexes with α-diimine ligands are discussed. Applications of these systems, including luminescence quantum counters, singlet oxygen generators, and a luminescent oxygen sensor, are described. Useful tools for studying these systems are described; these include a deuterium isotope method for measuring the degree of solvent exposure of bound sensitizers, excited-state-lifetime titrations for examining the compositions of systems, and spectral fitting and temperature profiles for probing excited state ordering and energies.     

Preparation and Characterization of Novel Luminescent Sol-Gel Films Containing a RE3+ Carboxylic Acid Complex

RE³⁺ (Eu³⁺, Tb³⁺) complexes with carboxylic acid (salicylic acid and benzoic acid) were introduced into the sol, which was prepared by the hydrolysis of tetraethoxysilane (TEOS). A sol-gel luminescent thin film (SG-LTF) was then prepared by dispersing the sol onto a silica substrate by a spin coating method. Multi-layer luminescent thin films were prepared by repeating the same process. The luminescent spectra, fluorescence lifetime and thermal stability of the SG-LTFs were investigated. For the reason of comparison polyvinylbutyral (PVB) was added into a N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) solution in which the comparative RE³⁺ carboxylic acid complexes were previously dissolved to form the DMF/PVB solution and the PVB luminescent thin film (PVB-LTF) was prepared. The results show that a broad excitation band indicates the formation of RE complexes in the solid SG-LTFs. RE ions, which are restrained in the silica matrix, present longer lifetimes and higher thermal stability than that in the PVB-LTF containing the corresponding pure complexes. The different doping concentration of RE (III) complexes in the SG-LTFs and the different change of the emission intensities with the heat treatment temperature in the sol-gel thin film and the sol-gel bulk gel were also discussed in this paper.     

Branched carbon-rich luminescent multinuclear platinum(II) and palladium(II) alkynyl complexes with phosphine ligands

In this review, the synthesis, electronic absorption and luminescent properties of a series of branched alkynylpalladium(II) and -platinum(II) phosphine complexes with different alkynyl backbones and some of their structurally related complexes in the literature will be discussed. With the growing research interest in the potential application of these complexes in the field of non-linear optics (NLO), the two-photon absorption (TPA) properties and the corresponding structure–property relationships of selected luminescent branched platinum(II) bis-alkynyl complexes will also be described.     

Synthesis of polypyridyl ruthenium complexes with 2-(1-aryl)-1H-imidazo[4,5-f]-1,10-phenanthroline ligand and its application for luminescent oxygen sensing

Polypyridyl ruthenium (Ru) complexes 1–3 were prepared. Their photophysical properties were investigated by UV-Vis absorption and luminescence emission spectra. The luminescent lifetimes of these Ruthenium complex were prolonged by more than 5 folds (τ = 2.50 μs for complex 3) when compared with the parent Ru complex 1 (τ = 0.45 μs). We propose that the extended luminescent lifetime of complex 3 is due to the equilibrium between ³MLCT state and the pyrene localized ³π-π* triplet state (³IL). The luminescent O₂-sensing property of the complexes in solution and the IMPEK-C polymer film were studied, and the O₂ sensing was quantified with the two-site model. The oxygen-sensing property of the Ru complexes can be improved by 104-fold with extension of the luminescent lifetimes. For example, the quenching constant K _SV was improved from 0.0023 Torr⁻¹ of 1 to 0.2393 Torr⁻¹ for 3. Our results demonstrated a versatile approach for the preparation of Ru (II) polypyridine complexes with extended luminescent lifetimes as functional materials, for example, for luminescent oxygen-sensing applications.     

Bioactive Luminescent Transition‐Metal Complexes for Biomedical Applications

The serendipitous discovery of the anticancer drug cisplatin cemented medicinal inorganic chemistry as an independent discipline in the 1960s. Luminescent metal complexes have subsequently been widely applied for sensing, bio‐imaging, and in organic light‐emitting diode applications. Transition‐metal complexes possess a variety of advantages that make them suitable as therapeutics and as luminescent probes for biomolecules. It is thus highly desirable to develop new luminescent metal complexes that either interact with DNA through different binding modes or target alternative cellular machinery such as proteins as well as to provide a more effective means of monitoring disease progression. In this Review, we highlight recent examples of biologically active luminescent metal complexes that can target and probe a specific biomolecule, and offer insights into the future potential of these compounds for the investigation and treatment of human diseases.     

Syntheses and Structures of Blue Luminescent Zinc(Ⅱ) Complexes with 2,6-Bis(imino)pyridyl Ligands

Luminescent coordination compounds with nitrogen-containing ligands have attracted much attention due to their good performance in sensor and electroluminescent device techniques[1-17]. To develop new luminescent materials, a large number of d10 metal complexes, especially zinc complexes, with the nitrogen-containing ligands have been synthesized and their luminescence behaviour have been studied[1-11]. It has been found that for a given complex, the size of the π-conjugated system of the ligand and the electronic effect of substituents at the ligand are important factors for modulating its luminescent properties[5,8,9].