Facile synthesis and characterization of phosphorescent Pt(N(∧)C(∧)N)X complexes

In order to investigate the ground state and excited state properties of Pt(N(∧)C(∧)N)X, we have prepared a series of Pt complexes, where N(∧)C(∧)N aromatic chelates are derivatives of m-di(2-pyridinyl)benzene (dpb) and X are monoanionic and monodentate ancillary ligands including halide and phenoxide. Facile synthesis of platinum m-di(2-pyridinyl)benzene chloride and its derivatives, using controlled microwave heating, was reported. This method not only shortened the reaction time but also improved the reaction yield for most of the Pt complexes. Two Pt(N(∧)C(∧)N)X complexes have been structurally characterized by X-ray crystallography. The change of functional group does not affect the structure of the core Pt(N(∧)C(∧)N)Cl fragment. Both molecules pack as head-to-tail dimers, each molecule of the dimer related to the other by a center of inversion. The electrochemical studies of all Pt complexes demonstrate that the oxidation process occurs on the metal-phenyl fragment and the reduction process is associated with the electron accepting groups like pyridinyl groups and their derivatives. The maximum emission wavelength of the Pt(N(∧)C(∧)N)X complexes ranges between 471 and 610 nm, crossing the spectrum of visible light. Most of the Pt complexes are strongly luminescent (Φ = 0.32-0.63) and have short luminescence lifetimes (τ = 4-7 μs) at room temperature. The lowest excited state of the Pt(N(∧)C(∧)N)X complexes is identified as a dominant ligand-centered (3)π-π* state with some (1)MLCT/(3)MLCT character, which appears to have a larger (1)MLCT component than their bidentate and tridentate analogs. This results in a high radiative decay rate and high quantum yield for Pt(dpb)Cl and its analogs. However, the excited state properties of the Pt(N(∧)C(∧)N)X complexes are strongly dependent on the nature of the electron-accepting groups and substituents to the metal-phenyl fragment. A rational design will be needed to tune the emission energies of the Pt(N(∧)C(∧)N)X complexes over a wide range while maintaining their high luminescent efficiency.     

Emissive Osmium(II) Complexes Supported by N-Heterocyclic Carbene-based C(∧)C(∧)C-Pincer Ligands and Aromatic Diimines

Osmium(II) complexes containing N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC)-based pincer ligand 1,3-bis(1-methylimidazolin-2-ylidene)phenyl anion (C(1)(∧)C(∧)C(1)) or 1,3-bis(3-methylbenzimidazolin-2-ylidene)phenyl anion (C(2)(∧)C(∧)C(2)) and aromatic diimine (2,2'-bipyridine (bpy), 1,10-phenanthroline (phen), or 4,4'-diphenyl-2,2'-bipyridine (Ph(2)bpy)) in the form of [Os(C(∧)C(∧)C)(N(∧)N)(CO)](+) have been prepared. Crystal structures for these complexes show that the Os-C(NHC) bonds are essentially single (Os-C(NHC) distances = 2.079(5)-2.103(7) ?). Spectroscopic comparisons and time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) calculations suggest that the lowest-energy electronic transition associated with these complexes (λ(max) = 493-536 nm, ε(max) = (5-10) × 10(3) dm(3) mol(-1) cm(-1), solvent = CH(3)CN) originate from a d(π)(Os(II)) → π*(N(∧)N) metal-to-ligand charge transfer transition, where the d(π)(Os(II)) and π*(N(∧)N) levels contain significant contribution from the C(∧)C(∧)C ligands. All these complexes are emissive in the red-spectral region (674-731 nm) with quantum yields of 10(-4)-10(-2) and emission lifetimes of around 1-6 μs. Transient absorption spectroscopy and spectroelectrochemical measurements have also been used to probe the nature of the emissive excited-states. Overall, this joint experimental and theoretical investigation reveals that the C(∧)C(∧)C ligands can be used to modulate the photophysical properties of a [Os(N(∧)N)] core via the formation of the hybrid [Os + C(∧)C(∧)C] frontier orbitals.     

Stable and tunable phosphorescent neutral cyclometalated Au(III) diaryl complexes

A series of novel luminescent cyclometalated Au(III) neutral complexes of the type cis-[(N(∧)C)AuL] [N(∧)C = 2-phenylpyridine (ppy), L = 1,1'-biphenyl (1)] and cis-[(N(∧)C)AuL(2)] [N(∧)C = 2-phenylpyridine (ppy), L = C(6)H(5) (2), C(6)F(5) (3), C(6)H(4)-CF(3)-p (4), 2-C(4)H(3)S (5)]; [N(∧)C = 2-(2-thienyl)pyridine (thpy), L = C(6)H(5) (6), C(6)F(5) (7)]; [N(∧)C = 2-(5-methyl-2-thienyl)pyridine (5 m-thpy), L = C(6)F(5) (8)] were successfully synthesized. The X-ray crystal structures of all compounds except 3 have been determined. These complexes were found to show long-lived emission in solution at room temperature. The emission origins of the complexes have been tentatively assigned to be derived from triplet states predominantly bearing intraligand (IL) character with some perturbation from the metal center. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations were performed to evaluate the stability associated with the complexes and TD-DFT calculations to ascertain the nature of the excited state. Variation of the cyclometalated ligands in the complexes readily leads to the tuning of the nature of the lower energy emissive states.     

Linear and nonlinear optical properties of cationic bipyridyl iridium(III) complexes: tunable and photoswitchable?

A series of cationic Ir(III) substituted bipyridyl ()(N(∧)N (N(∧)N-bpy) complexes incorporating electron-donor and -acceptor substituents, [Ir(C(∧)N-ppy-R')(2)(N(∧)N-bpy-CH═CH-C(6)H(4)-R)][X] (X(-) = PF(6)(-) or C(12)H(25)SO(3)(-)), 2 (a, R = NEt(2) and R' = Me; b, R = O-Oct and R' = Me; c, R = NO(2) and R' = C(6)H(13); C(∧)N-ppy = cyclometalated 2-phenylpyridine, [Ir(C(∧)N-ppy-Me)(2)(N(∧)N-bpy-CH═CH-thienyl-Me)][PF(6)], 2d, and the dithienylethene (DTE)-containing complex 2e have been synthesized and characterized, and their absorption, luminescence, and quadratic nonlinear optical (NLO) properties are reported. Density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent-DFT (TD-DFT) calculations on the complexes facilitate a detailed assignment of the excited states involved in the absorption and emission processes. All five complexes are luminescent in a rigid glass at 77 K, displaying vibronically structured spectra with long lifetimes (14-90 μs), attributed to triplet states localized on the styryl-appended bipyridines. The second-order NLO properties of 2a-d and related complexes 1a-d with 1,10-phenanthrolines have been investigated by both electric field induced second harmonic generation (EFISH) and harmonic light scattering (HLS) techniques. They are characterized by high negative EFISH μβ values which decrease when the ion pair strength between the cation and the counterion (PF(6)(-), C(12)H(25)SO(3)(-)) increases. The EFISH response is mainly controlled by metal-to-ligand charge-transfer/ligand-to-ligand charge-transfer (MLCT/L'LCT) processes. A combination of HLS and EFISH techniques is used to evaluate both the dipolar and octupolar contributions to the total quadratic hyperpolarizability, demonstrating that the major contribution is controlled by the octupolar part. The incorporation of a photochromic DTE unit into the N(∧)N-bpy ligand (complex 2e) allows the luminescence to be switched ON or OFF. The photocyclisation of the DTE unit can be triggered by using either UV (365 nm) or visible light (430 nm), leading to an efficient quenching of the ligand-based 77 K luminescence, which can be restored upon irradiation of the closed form at 715 nm. In contrast, no significant modification of the EFISH μβ value is observed upon photocyclization, suggesting that the quadratic NLO response is dominated by the MLCT/L'LCT processes, rather than by the intraligand excited states localized on the substituted bipyridine ligand.     

Synthesis and characterization of phosphorescent cyclometalated platinum complexes

The synthesis, electrochemistry, and photophysics of a series of square planar Pt(II) complexes are reported. The complexes have the general structure C(wedge)NPt(O(wedge)O),where C(wedge)N is a monoanionic cyclometalating ligand (e.g., 2-phenylpyridyl, 2-(2'-thienyl)pyridyl, 2-(4,6-difluorophenyl)pyridyl, etc.) and O(wedge)O is a beta-diketonato ligand. Reaction of K(2)PtCl(4) with a HC(wedge)N ligand precursor forms the chloride-bridged dimer, C(wedge)NPt(mu-Cl)(2)PtC(wedge)N, which is cleaved with beta-diketones such as acetyl acetone (acacH) and dipivaloylmethane (dpmH) to give the corresponding monomeric C(wedge)NPt(O(wedge)O) complex. The thpyPt(dpm) (thpy = 2-(2'-thienyl)pyridyl) complex has been characterized using X-ray crystallography. The bond lengths and angles for this complex are similar to those of related cyclometalated Pt complexes. There are two independent molecular dimers in the asymmetric unit, with intermolecular spacings of 3.45 and 3.56 A, consistent with moderate pi-pi interactions and no evident Pt-Pt interactions. Most of the C(wedge)NPt(O(wedge)O) complexes display a single reversible reduction wave between -1.9 and -2.6 V (vs Cp(2)Fe/Cp(2)Fe(+)), assigned to largely C(wedge)N ligand based reduction, and an irreversible oxidation, assigned to predominantly Pt based oxidation. DFT calculations were carried out on both the ground (singlet) and excited (triplet) states of these complexes. The HOMO levels are a mixture of Pt and ligand orbitals, while the LUMO is predominantly C(wedge)N ligand based. The emission characteristics of these complexes are governed by the nature of the organometallic cyclometalating ligand allowing the emission to be tuned throughout the visible spectrum. Twenty-three different C(wedge)N ligands have been examined, which gave emission lambda(max) values ranging from 456 to 600 nm. Well-resolved vibronic fine structure is observed in all of the emission spectra (room temperature and 77 K). Strong spin-orbit coupling of the platinum atom allows for the formally forbidden mixing of the (1)MLCT with the (3)MCLT and (3)pi-pi states. This mixing leads to high emission quantum efficiencies (0.02-0.25) and lifetimes on the order of microseconds for the platinum complexes.     

Cyclometalated iridium and platinum complexes as singlet oxygen photosensitizers: quantum yields, quenching rates and correlation with electronic structures

Photophysical properties are reported for a series of cyclometalated platinum and iridium complexes that can serve as photosensitizers for singlet oxygen. The complexes have the formula (C;N)(2)Ir(O;O) or (C;N)Pt(O;O) where C;N is a monoanionic cyclometalating ligand such as 2-(phenyl)pyridyl and 2-(phenyl)quinolyl, and O;O is the ancillary ligand acetylacetonate (acac) or dipivaloylmethane (dpm). Also examined were a series of (N;N)PtMe(2) complexes where N;N is a diimine such as 2,2'-bipyridyl. In general, the cyclometalated complexes are excellent photosensitizers for the production of singlet oxygen, while the (N;N)PtMe(2) complexes were ineffective at this reaction. Quantum yields of singlet oxygen production range from 0.9-1.0 for the cyclometalated Pt complexes and 0.5-0.9 for Ir complexes. Luminescence quenching and singlet oxygen formation of the Ir complexes occurs from a combination of electron and energy transfer processes, whereas the Pt complexes only react by energy transfer. For Ir complexes with low emission energy, physical deactivation of the triplet excited state becomes competitive with energy transfer to ground state dioxygen. The rates of singlet oxygen quenching for the complexes presented here are in the range 6 x 10(6)-2 x 10(7) M(-1) s(-1) for Pt complexes and 2 x 10(5)-2 x 10(7) M(-1) s(-1) for Ir complexes, respectively. Differences in the efficiency of both forming and quenching singlet oxygen between the Ir and Pt cyclometalates are believed to come about from the more exposed coordination geometry in the latter species.     

Luminescent iridium(III) complexes with N^C^N-coordinated terdentate ligands: dual tuning of the emission energy and application to organic light-emitting devices

A family of complexes (1a-3a and 1b-3b) was prepared, having the structure Ir(N^C^N)(N^C)Cl. Here, N^C(∧)N represents a terdentate, cyclometallating ligand derived from 1,3-di(2-pyridyl)benzene incorporating CH(3) (1a,b), F (2a,b), or CF(3) (3a,b) substituents at the 4 and 6 positions of the benzene ring, and N^C is 2-phenylpyridine (series a) or 2-(2,4-difluorophenyl)pyridine (series b). The complexes are formed using a stepwise procedure that relies on the initial introduction of the terdentate ligand to form a dichloro-bridged iridium dimer, followed by cleavage with the N^C ligand. (1)H NMR spectroscopy reveals that the isomer that is exclusively formed in each case is that in which the pyridyl ring of the N^C ligand is trans to the cyclometallating aryl ring of the N^C^N ligand. This conclusion is unequivocally confirmed by X-ray diffraction analysis for two of the complexes (1b and 3a). All of the complexes are highly luminescent in degassed solution at room temperature, emitting in the green (1a,b), blue-green (2a,b), and orange-red (3a,b) regions. The bidentate ligand offers independent fine-tuning of the emission energy: for each pair, the "b" complex is blue-shifted relative to the analogous "a" complex. These trends in the excited-state energies are rationalized in terms of the relative magnitudes of the effects of the substituents on the highest occupied and lowest unoccupied orbitals, convincingly supported by time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) calculations. Luminescence quantum yields are high, up to 0.7 in solution and close to unity in a PMMA matrix for the green-emitting complexes. Organic light emitting devices (OLEDs) employing this family of complexes as phosphorescent emitters have been prepared. They display high efficiencies, at least comparable, and in some cases superior, to similar devices using the well-known tris-bidentate complexes such as fac-Ir(ppy)(3). The combination of terdentate and bidentate ligands is seen to offer a versatile approach to tuning of the photophysical properties of iridium-based emitters for such applications.     

Spectroscopy and electrochemical properties of a homologous series of acetylacetonato and hexafluoroacetylacetonato cyclopalladated and cycloplatinated complexes

A photophysical, electrochemical and computational study has been performed on a homologous series of cyclometallated Pd(ii) () and Pt(ii) () complexes of general formula [(C,N)M(O,O)]; (H(C,N) = azobenzene, 2-phenylpyridine, benzo[h]quinoline; M = Pd, Pt; H(O,O) = acetylacetone, hexafluoroacetylacetone). Experimental and computational data have shown the strong influence exerted by electronegativity of the ancillary ligand on the frontier orbitals of the complexes, such an effect being enhanced for the Pt(ii) species.     

Bis(tridentate) Ruthenium-Terpyridine Complexes Featuring Microsecond Excited-State Lifetimes

A series of heteroleptic bis(tridentate) ruthenium(II) complexes, each bearing a substituted 2,2':6',2″-terpyridine (terpy) ligand, is characterized by room temperature microsecond excited-state lifetimes. This observation is a consequence of the strongly σ-donating and weakly π-accepting tridentate carbene ligand, 2',6'-bis(1-mesityl-3-methyl-1,2,3-triazol-4-yl-5-idene)pyridine (C(∧)N(∧)C), adjacent to the terpy maintaining a large separation between the ligand field and metal-to-ligand charge transfer (MLCT) states while also preserving a large (3)MLCT energy. The observed lifetimes are the highest documented lifetimes for unimolecular ruthenium(II) complexes and are four orders in magnitude higher than that associated with [Ru(terpy)(2)](2+).     

过氧铌杂多钨酸盐热分解动力学参数的测定

钼和钨的杂多配合物由于其高催化活性及抗病毒性吸引着人们的关注［１］。杂多配合物的组成改变能调变其酸性、氧化性、反应性等,因此,混配型杂多配合物的研究近二十年来十分活跃。铌取代的杂多配合物在催化方面具有很独特的性质,其催化的工业应用及其机理已引起广泛的兴趣［２］。我们发现,过氧铌杂多配合物比非过氧杂多配合物具有更高的催化活性［３］。杂多酸盐的热稳定性是影响多相催化活性的重要性质,迄今有关过氧杂多配合物的热性质和热分解反应动力学参数的研究未见报道。本文用ＴＧ、ＤＴＡ、ＤＳＣ溶解度试验,变温红外和Ｘ一…     

Near-infrared absorbing and emitting Ru(II)-Pt(II) heterodimetallic complexes of dpdpz (dpdpz = 2,3-di(2-pyridyl)-5,6-diphenylpyrazine)

The reaction of 2,3-di(2-pyridyl)-5,6-diphenylpyrazine (dpdpz) with K(2)PtCl(4) in a mixture of acetonitrile and water afforded mono-Pt complex (dpdpz)PtCl(2)4 in good yield, with two lateral pyridine nitrogen atoms binding to the metal center. Two types of Ru(II)-Pt(II) heterodimetallic complexes bridged by dpdpz, namely, [(bpy)(2)Ru(dpdpz)Pt(C≡CC(6)H(4)R)](2+) (7-9, R = H, NMe(2), or Cl, respectively) and [(tpy)Ru(dpdpz)Pt(C≡CPh)] (+) (12), were then designed and prepared, where bpy = 2,2'-bipyridine and tpy = 2,2';6',2'-terpyridine. In both cases, the platinum atom binds to dpdpz with a C(∧)N(∧)N tridentate mode. However, the coordination of the ruthenium atom with dpdpz could either be noncyclometalated (N(∧)N bidentate) or cyclometalated (C(∧)N(∧)N tridentate). The electronic properties of these complexes were subsequently studied and compared by spectroscopic and electrochemical analyses and theoretical calculations. These complexes exhibit substantial absorption in the visible to NIR (near-infrared) region because of mixed MLCT (metal-to-ligand-charge-tranfer) transitions from both the ruthenium and the platinum centers. Complexes 7 and 9 were found to emit NIR light with higher quantum yields than those of the mono-Ru complex [(bpy)(2)Ru(dpdpz)](2+) (5) and bis-Ru complex [(bpy)(2)Ru(dpdpz)Ru(bpy)(2)](4+) (13). However, no emission was detected from complex 8 or 12 at room temperature in acetonitrile.     

Synthesis, structural, and photophysical investigation of diimine triscarbonyl Re(I) tetrazolato complexes

The synthesis, structural, and photophysical properties of a novel family of neutral fac-[Re(N(∧)N)(CO)(3)(L)] complexes, where N(∧)N is either 2,2'-bipyridine or 1,10-phenanthroline and L is a para functionalized 5-aryltetrazolate [namely, 5-phenyltetrazolate (Tph(-)), 4-(tetrazolate-5-yl)benzaldehyde (Tbdz(-)), 5-(4-acetylphenyl)tetrazolate (Tacy(-)), and methyl 4-(tetrazolate-5-yl)benzoate (Tmeb(-))] are reported. The complexes were prepared by direct addition of the corresponding tetrazolate anion to the acetonitrile solvated fac-[Re(N(∧)N)(CO)(3)](+) precursor. NMR data demonstrate that the coordination of the metal fragment is regiospecific at the N2 atom of the tetrazolate ring. These conclusions are also supported by X-ray structural determinations. Photophysical data were obtained in diluted and deaerated dichloromethane solutions displaying broad and structureless profiles with emission maxima ranging from 566 to 578 nm. The absorption profiles indicate the presence of higher energy intraligand (IL) π-π* transitions and lower energies ligand-to-ligand charge transfer (LLCT) and metal-to-ligand charge transfer (MLCT). As the last two transitions are mixed, they are better described as a metal-ligand-to-ligand charge transfer (MLLCT), a result that is also supported by density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The complexes show excited state lifetime values ranging from 102 to 955 ns, with associated quantum yield between 0.012 and 0.099. Compared to the parent neutral chloro or bromo [Re(N(∧)N)(CO)(3)X], the complexes show a slightly improved performance because of the π accepting nature of the tetrazolato ligand. The metal-to-ligand backbonding is in fact depleting the Re center of electron density, thus widening the HOMO-LUMO gap and reducing the non-radiative decay mechanism in accordance with the energy gap law. Finally, the electron-withdrawing or donating nature of the substituent on the phenyltetrazolato ligand allows the fine-tuning of the photophysical properties.     

Synthesis and characterization of luminescent bis-cyclometalated platinum(IV) complexes

Presented is the synthesis and characterization of a series of luminescent heteroleptic bis-cyclometalated platinum(IV) complexes. An oxidation-facilitated cyclometalation is employed to convert platinum(II) pendant species into bis-cyclometalated platinum(IV) dichlorides, which are transformed into the tris-chelated diimine complexes through ligand substitution. The structure-property relationship is probed by judiciously varying substituents on both the C(∧)N and the N(∧)N ligands resulting in a family of complexes exhibiting blue emission, long excited-state lifetimes, and highly efficient oxygen quenching. Excited-state properties are corroborated by static and time-dependent density-functional theory calculations of both the singlet and the triplet state.     

Luminescent cyclometalated alkynylgold(III) complexes with 6-phenyl-2,2'-bipyridine derivatives: synthesis, characterization, electrochemistry, photophysics, and computational studies

A novel class of luminescent gold(III) complexes containing various tridentate cyclometalating ligands derived from 6-phenyl-2,2'-bipyridine and alkynyl ligands, [Au(RC^N^N)(C≡C-R')]PF(6), has been successfully synthesized and characterized. One of the complexes has also been determined by X-ray crystallography. Electrochemical studies show a ligand-centered reduction originated from the cyclometalating RC^N^N ligands as well as an alkynyl-centered oxidation. The electronic absorption and photoluminescence properties of the complexes have also been investigated. In acetonitrile at room temperature, the complexes show intense absorption at higher energy region with wavelength shorter than 320 nm, and a moderately intense broad absorption band at 374-406 nm, assigned as the metal-perturbed intraligand π-π* transition of the cyclometalating RC(∧)N(∧)N ligand, with some charge transfer character from the aryl ring to the bipyridine moiety. Most of the complexes have been observed to show vibronic-structured emission bands at 469-550 nm in butyronitile glass at 77 K, assigned to an intraligand excited state of the RC^N^N ligand, with some charge transfer character from the aryl to the bipyridyine moiety. Insights into the origin of the absorption and emission have also been provided by density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) calculations.     

Mono- and binuclear cyclometallated palladium(II) complexes containing bridging (N,O-) and terminal (N-) imidate ligands: air stable, thermally robust and recyclable catalysts for cross-coupling processes

Novel dinuclear cyclometallated palladium complexes [{Pd(mu-NCO)(C circumflex accent N)}(2)], containing asymmetric imidato -NCO- bridging units have been synthesised [C circumflex accent N = 7,8-benzoquinolyl; -NCO- = succinimidate (1c), phthalimidate (1a-3a) or maleimidate (3c)]. The reaction of these complexes, and the previously reported analogous imidate precursors containing a phenylazophenyl (1a-3a) or 2-pyridylphenyl (1b-3b) backbone, with tertiary phosphines provides novel mononuclear N-bonded imidate derivatives of the general formula [Pd(C circumflex accent N)(imidate)(L)][L = PPh(3), P(4-F-C(6)H(4))(3) or P(4-MeO-C(6)H(4))(3)]. The single crystal structures of [Pd(azb)(phthalimidate)(P(4-MeO-C(6)H(4))(3))](9a) and [Pd(bzq)(phthalimidate)(PPh(3))](7c) have been established. Dinuclear complexes (1a-3a, 1b-3b, 1c-3c) demonstrate outstanding thermal stability in the solid-state, as shown by thermoanalytical techniques. A marked influence of bridging imidate groups on the initial decomposition temperature is observed. The dinuclear and mononuclear derivatives are shown to be active catalysts/precatalysts for the Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling reactions of aryl bromides with aryl boronic acids, and the Sonogashira reactions of aryl halides with phenyl acetylene (in the presence and absence of Cu(I) salts). The conversions appear to be dependent, to some extent, on the type of imidate ligand, suggesting a role for these pseudohalides in the catalytic cycle in both cross-coupling processes. Lower catalyst loadings in 'copper-free' Sonogashira cross-couplings favour higher turnover frequencies. We have further determined that these catalysts may be recycled using a poly(ethylene oxide)(PEO)/methanol solvent medium in Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling. Once the reaction is complete, product extraction into a hexane/diethyl ether mixture (1 : 1, v/v) gives cross-coupled products in good yields (with purity > 95%). The polar phase can then be re-used several times without appreciable loss of catalytic activity.     

Effects of electron-rich ancillary ligands on green and yellow-emitting bis-cyclometalated iridium complexes

Abstract

Six new green to yellow-emitting heteroleptic bis-cyclometalated iridium(III) complexes of the type Ir(C?N)₂(L?X) (C?N?=?cyclometalating ligand, L?X?=?monoanionic chelating ancillary ligand) bearing two widely used cyclometalating ligands (C?N?=?2-(2-thienyl)pyridine (thpy) and 2-phenylbenzoxazole (bo)) and six different ancillary ligands were prepared. In this study, the complexes include structurally diverse ancillary ligands that allow us to investigate several aspects of structure-property relationships. Ancillary ligands used in this study are small-bite-angle N-phenylacetamidate (paa), N-isopropylbenzamidate (ipba) and N,N′-diisopropylbenzamidinate (dipba), and larger bite-angle β-ketoiminate (acNac), β-diketiminate (NacNac), and β-thioketoiminate (SacNac). The emission color is governed by the choice of the cyclometalating ligand, but the ancillary ligands influence the electrochemical and photophysical properties. Electrochemical analysis shows that the energy of the HOMO varies substantially as the L?X structure is altered, whereas the energy of LUMO remains nearly constant. The emission maxima range from 537?nm to 590?nm, with solution quantum yields between 0.0094 and 0.60 and microsecond lifetimes. The results here reveal the ancillary ligands provide a channel to control redox properties and excited-state dynamics in cyclometalated iridium complexes that luminesce in the middle regions of the visible spectrum.     

Syntheses and Photophysical Properties of N‐Pyridylimidazol‐2‐ylidene Tetracyanoruthenates(II) and Photochromic Studies of Their Dithienylethene‐Containing Derivatives

A series of tetracyanoruthenate(II) with chelating pyridyl N‐heterocyclic carbene ligands (NHC‐py) was synthesized and characterized. Their photophysical and electrochemical properties as well as the photochromic behavior of their dithienylethene‐containing complexes were studied. Photocyclization was found to take place upon irradiation into the metal‐to‐ligand charge transfer (MLCT) absorption bands of these complexes, and evidence is provided to support the triplet‐sensitizing reaction pathway.     

Enhanced luminescent iridium(III) complexes bearing aryltriazole cyclometallated ligands

Herein we report the synthesis of 4-aryl-1-benzyl-1H-1,2,3-triazoles (atl), made via "Click chemistry" and their incorporation as cyclometallating ligands into new heteroleptic iridium(III) complexes containing diimine (N(^)N) ancillary ligands 2,2'-bipyridine (bpy) and 4,4'-di-tert-butyl-2,2'-bipyridine (dtBubpy). Depending on decoration, these complexes emit from the yellow to sky blue in acetonitrile (ACN) solution at room temperature (RT). Their emission energies are slightly blue-shifted and their photoluminescent quantum efficiencies are markedly higher (between 25 and 80%) than analogous (C(^)N)(2)Ir(N(^)N)(+) type complexes, where C(^)N is a decorated 2-phenylpyridinato ligand. This increased brilliance is in part due to the presence of the benzyl groups, which act to sterically shield the iridium metal center. X-ray crystallographic analyses of two of the atl complexes corroborate this assertion. Their electrochemistry is reversible, thus making these complexes amenable for inclusion in light-emitting electrochemical cells (LEECs). A parallel computational investigation supports the experimental findings and demonstrates that for all complexes included in this study, the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) is located on both the aryl fragment of the atl ligands and the iridium metal while the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) is located essentially exclusively on the ancillary ligand.     

Mononuclear versus dinuclear complex formation in nickel(II) sulfate/phenyl(2-pyridyl)ketone oxime chemistry depending on the ligand to metal reaction ratio: synthetic, spectral and structural studies

The reactions of phenyl(2-pyridyl)ketone oxime (py)C(ph)NOH, with nickel(II) sulfate hexahydrate under reflux, in the absence of an external base, have been investigated. The reaction of NiSO(4).6H(2)O with two equivalents of (py)C(ph)NOH in H(2)O/MeOH leads to the dinuclear complex [Ni(2)(SO(4))(2){(py)C(ph)NOH}(4)] (1), while an excess of the organic ligand affords the 1:3 cationic complex [Ni{(py)C(ph)NOH}(3)](SO(4)) (2). Compound 1 is transformed into 2 by a reaction with an excess of ligand in refluxing H(2)O/MeOH. Reactions of 1 and 2 with a limited amount of LiOH give the known cluster [Ni(6)(SO(4))(4)(OH){(py)C(ph)NO}(3){(py)C(ph)NOH}(3)(H(2)O)(3)]. The structures of 1 and 2 have been determined by single-crystal X-ray crystallography. In both complexes the organic ligand chelates through its 2-pyridyl and oxime nitrogen atoms. The metal centers of 1 are bridged by two eta(1):eta(1):mu sulfato ligands; each metal ion has the cis-cis-trans deposition of the coordinated sulfato oxygen, pyridyl nitrogen and oxime nitrogen atoms, respectively. The cation of 2 is the fac isomer considering the positions of the coordinated pyridyl and oxime nitrogen atoms. The crystal structures of both complexes are stabilized by hydrogen bonds. Compounds 1 and 2 join a small family of structurally characterized metal complexes containing the neutral or anionic forms of phenyl(2-pyridyl)ketone oxime as ligands. The IR spectra of the two complexes are discussed in terms of the nature of bonding and their structures. From the vibrational spectroscopy viewpoint, the SO(4)(2-) groups in 1 and 2 appear to have lower symmetries compared with those deduced from X-ray crystallography; this is attributed to the participation of sulfates in hydrogen bonding interactions.     

Electrochemical Synthesis and Characterization of Nickel(II) Complexes with N‐2‐Pyridyl‐sulfonamide Ligands

Heteroleptic nickel(II) complexes [NiL₂L′] of a series of monoanionic and potentially bidentate N‐2‐pyridyl‐sulfonamide ligands [HL] and 2,2′‐bipyridine or 1,10‐Phenanthroline (L′) have been prepared by electrochemical oxidation of a nickel anode in an acetonitrile solution of the ligands. The complexes have been characterized by microanalysis, IR and electronic spectroscopy, magnetic measurements and LSI mass spectrometry. The crystal structure of [Ni(Ms6mepy)₂(bipy)] has been determined by x‐ray diffraction and shows the metal in an octahedral NiN₆ environment. Octahedral structures are also proposed for the other complexes with the N‐2‐pyridyl‐sulfonamide ligands acting as N,N′ or N, O bidentate systems, depending on the position of the methyl substituent on the pyridine ring.