Tuning the Cellular Uptake Properties of Luminescent Heterobimetallic Iridium(III)–Ruthenium(II) DNA Imaging Probes

The synthesis of two new luminescent dinuclear Ir^III–Ru^II complexes containing tetrapyrido[3,2‐a:2′,3′‐c:3′′,2′′‐h:2′′′,3′′′‐j]phenazine (tpphz) as the bridging ligand is reported. Unlike many other complexes incorporating cyclometalated Ir^III moieties, these complexes display good water solubility, allowing the first cell‐based study on Ir^III–Ru^II bioprobes to be carried out. Photophysical studies indicate that emission from each complex is from a Ru^II excited state and both complexes display significant in vitro DNA‐binding affinities. Cellular studies show that each complex is rapidly internalised by HeLa cells, in which they function as luminescent nuclear DNA‐imaging agents for confocal microscopy. Furthermore, the uptake and nuclear targeting properties of the complex incorporating cyclometalating 2‐(4‐fluorophenyl)pyridine ligands around its Ir^III centre is enhanced in comparison to the non‐fluorinated analogue, indicating that fluorination may provide a route to promote cell uptake of transition‐metal bioprobes.     

Enhanced Iridium Complex Electrochemiluminescence Cytosensing and Dynamic Evaluation of Cell‐Surface Carbohydrate Expression

A newly prepared [(ppy)₂Ir(dcbpy)]⁺?PF₆^? (ppy: 2‐phenylpyridyl; dcbpy: 4,4′‐dicarboxy‐2,2′‐bipyridyl) and gold nanoparticle functionalized mesoporous silica nanoparticle (Au/Ir‐MSN) is reported. Based on the binding between concanavalin A (Con A) and mannose, the novel nanoparticle was applied to an ultrasensitive electrochemiluminescence (ECL) in situ cytosensing strategy and the dynamic evaluation of cell‐surface carbohydrate expression. The ECL activity of the presented Con A@Au/Ir‐MSN nanoprobe was greatly enhanced by employing a functionalized nanoparticle and graphene nanomaterial with an increased surface area and simultaneously improved electron‐transfer efficiency at the electrode interface. Under optimal conditions, the sandwich‐type ECL cytosensor showed a linear response to K562 cells at concentrations ranging from 1.0×10² to 1.0×10⁶ cells mL^?1 and realized a low detection limit of a single cell. The proposed method could also be successfully used for monitoring the dynamic variation of carbohydrate expression in cancer cells in response to external stimulation by an inhibitor.     

Near‐IR Phosphorescent Ruthenium(II) and Iridium(III) Perylene Bisimide Metal Complexes

The phosphorescence emission of perylene bisimide derivatives has been rarely reported. Two novel ruthenium(II) and iridium(III) complexes of an azabenz‐annulated perylene bisimide (ab‐PBI), [Ru(bpy)₂(ab‐PBI)][PF₆]₂ 1 and [Cp*Ir(ab‐PBI)Cl]PF₆ 2 are now presented that both show NIR phosphorescence between 750–1000 nm in solution at room temperature. For an NIR emitter, the ruthenium complex 1 displays an unusually high quantum yield (Φ_p) of 11 % with a lifetime (τ_p) of 4.2 μs, while iridium complex 2 exhibits Φ_p<1 % and τ_p=33 μs. 1 and 2 are the first PBI‐metal complexes in which the spin–orbit coupling is strong enough to facilitate not only the S_n→T_n intersystem crossing of the PBI dye, but also the radiative T₁→S₀ transition, that is, phosphorescence.     

A Ruthenium(III)–Oxyl Complex Bearing Strong Radical Character

Proton‐coupled electron‐transfer oxidation of a Ru^II?OH₂ complex, having an N‐heterocyclic carbene ligand, gives a Ru^III?O^. species, which has an electronically equivalent structure of the Ru^IV=O species, in an acidic aqueous solution. The Ru^III?O^. complex was characterized by spectroscopic methods and DFT calculations. The oxidation state of the Ru center was shown to be close to +3; the Ru?O bond showed a lower‐energy Raman scattering at 732 cm^?1 and the Ru?O bond length was estimated to be 1.77(1) Å. The Ru^III?O^. complex exhibits high reactivity in substrate oxidation under catalytic conditions; particularly, benzaldehyde and the derivatives are oxidized to the corresponding benzoic acid through C?H abstraction from the formyl group by the Ru^III?O^. complex bearing a strong radical character as the active species.     

Differential Photoluminescent and Electrochemiluminescent Detection of Anions with a Modified Ruthenium(II)–Bipyridyl Complex

Different lights, different selectivies : Luminescence of a new guanidinium 3,3′‐functionalized bipyridyl–Ru^II complex has been studied for sensing of several anions. L ‐Glutamate and dihydrogenphosphate are both detected by photoluminescence and electrochemiluminescence. However, the complex displays differential selectivities for these anions depending on the sensing channels (see scheme).

     

Understanding Electrogenerated Chemiluminescence Efficiency in Blue‐Shifted Iridium(III)‐Complexes: An Experimental and Theoretical Study

Compared to tris(2‐phenylpyridine)iridium(III) ([Ir(ppy)₃]), iridium(III) complexes containing difluorophenylpyridine (df‐ppy) and/or an ancillary triazolylpyridine ligand [3‐phenyl‐1,2,4‐triazol‐5‐ylpyridinato (ptp) or 1‐benzyl‐1,2,3‐triazol‐4‐ylpyridine (ptb)] exhibit considerable hypsochromic shifts (ca. 25–60 nm), due to the significant stabilising effect of these ligands on the HOMO energy, whilst having relatively little effect on the LUMO. Despite their lower photoluminescence quantum yields compared with [Ir(ppy)₃] and [Ir(df‐ppy)₃], the iridium(III) complexes containing triazolylpyridine ligands gave greater electrogenerated chemiluminescence (ECL) intensities (using tri‐n‐propylamine (TPA) as a co‐reactant), which can in part be ascribed to the more energetically favourable reactions of the oxidised complex (M⁺) with both TPA and its neutral radical oxidation product. The calculated iridium(III) complex LUMO energies were shown to be a good predictor of the corresponding M⁺ LUMO energies, and both HOMO and LUMO levels are related to ECL efficiency. The theoretical and experimental data together show that the best strategy for the design of efficient new blue‐shifted electrochemiluminophores is to aim to stabilise the HOMO, while only moderately stabilising the LUMO, thereby increasing the energy gap but ensuring favourable thermodynamics and kinetics for the ECL reaction. Of the iridium(III) complexes examined, [Ir(df‐ppy)₂(ptb)]⁺ was most attractive as a blue‐emitter for ECL detection, featuring a large hypsochromic shift (λ_max=454 and 484 nm), superior co‐reactant ECL intensity than the archetypal homoleptic green and blue emitters: [Ir(ppy)₃] and [Ir(df‐ppy)₃] (by over 16‐fold and threefold, respectively), and greater solubility in polar solvents.     

Unveiling Photodeactivation Pathways for a New Iridium(III) Cyclometalated Complex

We report the synthesis and characterization of a neutral heteroleptic Ir^III complex bearing 6‐fluoro‐2‐phenylbenzo[d]thiazole as cyclometalating ligand and (Z)‐6‐(9H‐carbazol‐9‐yl)‐5‐hydroxy‐2,2‐dimethylhex‐4‐en‐3‐one as ancillary ligand. The photodeactivation mechanisms have been elucidated through extensive density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The active role of metal‐centered (³MC) triplet excited states in the nonradiative deactivation pathways is, for first time, confirmed in such complexes.     

系列2-苯基喹啉类铱配合物的合成及电化学发光性能研究

以4-甲氧羰基-2-苯基喹啉为环金属配体,N^N辅助配体为解离配体合成了一系列离子型环金属铱配合物.配合物的结构通过质谱、核磁进行了表征.配合物1还测试了其单晶结构.对配合物的紫外、磷光性质进行了表征,溶液状态下为红光发射,波长在610～620 nm之间,磷光寿命在133～496 ns之间,量子效率在0.7%～16.6%之间.铱配合物的电化学发光与23Ru(bpy)+有所不同,发光电位比23Ru(bpy)+要高,且大部分铱配合物在正负电位都能发光,最大发光强度是23Ru(bpy)+的三倍.     

Transformation of a Cp*–Iridium(III) Precatalyst for Water Oxidation when Exposed to Oxidative Stress

The reaction of [Cp*Ir(bzpy)NO₃] ( 1 ; bzpy=2‐benzoylpyridine, Cp*=pentamethylcyclopentadienyl anion), a competent water‐oxidation catalyst, with several oxidants (H₂O₂, NaIO₄, cerium ammonium nitrate (CAN)) was studied to intercept and characterize possible intermediates of the oxidative transformation. NMR spectroscopy and ESI‐MS techniques provided evidence for the formation of many species that all had the intact Ir–bzpy moiety and a gradually more oxidized Cp* ligand. Initially, an oxygen atom is trapped in between two carbon atoms of Cp* and iridium, which gives an oxygen–Ir coordinated epoxide, whereas the remaining three carbon atoms of Cp* are involved in a η³ interaction with iridium ( 2 a ). Formal addition of H₂O to 2 a or H₂O₂ to 1 leads to 2 b , in which a double MeCOH functionalization of Cp* is present with one MeCOH engaged in an interaction with iridium. The structure of 2 b was unambiguously determined in the solid state and in solution by X‐ray single‐crystal diffractometry and advanced NMR spectroscopic techniques, respectively. Further oxidation led to the opening of Cp* and transformation of the diol into a diketone with one carbonyl coordinated at the metal ( 2 c ). A η³ interaction between the three non‐oxygenated carbons of “ex‐Cp*” and iridium is also present in both 2 b and 2 c . Isolated 2 b and mixtures of 2 a – c species were tested in water‐oxidation catalysis by using CAN as sacrificial oxidant. They showed substantially the same activity than 1 (turnover frequency values ranged from 9 to 14 min^?1).     

Strain‐Promoted Azide–Alkyne Cycloaddition with Ruthenium(II)–Azido Complexes

The reactivity of an exemplary ruthenium(II)–azido complex towards non‐activated, electron‐deficient, and towards strain‐activated alkynes at room temperature and low millimolar azide and alkyne concentrations has been investigated. Non‐activated terminal and internal alkynes failed to react under such conditions, even under copper(I) catalysis conditions. In contrast, as expected, rapid cycloaddition was observed with electron‐deficient dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate (DMAD) as the dipolarophile. Since DMAD and related propargylic esters are excellent Michael acceptors and thus unsuitable for biological applications, we investigated the reactivity of the azido complex towards cycloaddition with derivatives of cyclooctyne (OCT), bicyclo[6.1.0]non‐4‐yne (BCN), and azadibenzocyclooctyne (ADIBO). While no reaction could be observed in the case of the less strained cyclooctyne OCT, the highly strained cyclooctynes BCN and ADIBO readily reacted with the azido complex, providing the corresponding stable triazolato complexes, which were amenable to purification by conventional silica gel column chromatography. An X‐ray crystal structure of an ADIBO cycloadduct was obtained and verified that the formed 1,2,3‐triazolato ligand coordinates the metal center through the central N2 atom. Importantly, the determined second‐order rate constant for the ADIBO cycloaddition with the azido complex (k₂=6.9 × 10^?2 M ^?1 s^?1) is comparable to the rate determined for the ADIBO cycloaddition with organic benzyl azide (k₂=4.0 × 10^?1 M ^?1 s^?1). Our results demonstrate that it is possible to transfer the concept of strain‐promoted azide–alkyne cycloaddition (SPAAC) from purely organic azides to metal‐coordinated azido ligands. The favorable reaction kinetics for the ADIBO‐azido‐ligand cycloaddition and the well‐proven bioorthogonality of strain‐activated alkynes should pave the way for applications in living biological systems.     

Enantioselective Assembly of a Ruthenium(II) Polypyridyl Complex into a Double Helix

Evolution can increase the complexity of matter by self‐organization into helical architectures, the best example being the DNA double helix. One common aspect, apparently shared by most of these architectures, is the presence of covalent bonds within the helix backbone. Here, we report the unprecedented crystal structures of a metal complex that self‐organizes into a continuous double helical structure, assembled by non‐covalent building blocks. Built up solely by weak stacking interactions, this alternating tread stairs‐like double helical assembly mimics the DNA double helix structure. Starting from a racemic mixture in aqueous solution, the ruthenium(II) polypyridyl complex forms two polymorphic structures of a left‐handed double helical assembly of only the Λ‐enantiomer. The stacking of the helices is different in both polymorphs: a crossed woodpile structure versus a parallel columnar stacking.     

Ultrasensitive and Signal‐on Electrochemiluminescence Aptasensor Using the Multi‐tris(bipyridine)ruthenium(II)‐β‐cyclodextrin Complexes

An ultrasensitive and signal‐on electrochemiluminescence (ECL) aptasensor to detect target protein (thrombin or lysozyme) was developed using the host‐guest recognition between a metallocyclodextrin complex and single‐stranded DNA (ss‐DNA). The aptasensor uses both the photoactive properties of the metallocyclodextrins named multi‐tris(bipyridine)ruthenium(II)‐β‐cyclodextrin complexes and their specific recognition with ss‐DNA, which amplified the ECL signal without luminophore labeling. After investigating the ECL performance of different multi‐tris(bipyridine)ruthenium(II)‐β‐cyclodextrin (multi‐Ru‐β‐CD) complexes, tris‐tris(bipyridine)‐ruthenium(II)‐β‐cyclodextrin (tris(bpyRu)‐β‐CD) was selected as a suitable host molecule to construct an atasensor. First, double‐stranded DNA (ds‐DNA) formed by hybridization of the aptamer and its target DNA was attached to a glassy carbon electrode via coupling interaction, which showed low ECL intensity with 2‐(dibutylamino) ethanol (DBAE) as coreactant, because of the weak recognition between ds‐DNA and tris(bpyRu)‐β‐CD. Upon addition of the corresponding protein, the ECL intensity increased when target ss‐DNA was released because of the higher stability of the aptamer‐protein complex than the aptamer‐DNA one. A linear relationship was observed in the range of 0.01 pmol/L to 100 pmol/L between ECL intensity and the logarithm of thrombin concentrations with a limited detection of 8.5 fmol/L (S/N=3). Meanwhile, the measured concentration of lysozyme was from 0.05 pmol/L to 500 pmol/L and the detection limit was 33 fmol/L (S/N=3). The investigations of proteins in human serum samples were also performed to demonstrate the validity of detection in real clinical samples. The simplicity, high sensitivity and specificity of this aptasensor show great promise for practical applications in protein monitoring and disease diagnosis.     

meso‐(2‐Pyridyl)‐boron(III)‐subporphyrin: Perimeter Iridium(III) Coordination

Peripherally metalated porphyrinoids are promising functional π‐systems displaying characteristic optical, electronic, and catalytic properties. In this work, 5‐(2‐pyridyl)‐ and 5,10,15‐tri(2‐pyridyl)‐B^III‐subporphyrins were prepared and used to produce cyclometalated subporphyrins by reactions with [Cp*IrCl₂]₂, which proceeded through an efficient C?H activation to give the corresponding mono‐ and tri‐Ir^III complexes, respectively. While the mono‐Ir^III complex was obtained as a diastereomeric mixture, a C₃‐symmetric tri‐Ir^III complex with the three Cp*‐units all at the concave side was predominantly obtained in a high yield of 90 %, which displays weak NIR phosphorescence even at room temperature in degassed CH₂Cl₂, differently from the mono‐Ir^III complexes.     

微波辐射法合成喹喔啉铱（Ⅲ）配合物及其发光性质

采用微波辐射加热方法,将2,3-二苯基喹喔啉（DPQ）与水合三氯化铱（IrCl3•H2O）反应,合成了一种新型三环喹喔啉铱配合物[Ir(DPQ)3],通过元素分析,1H NMR和质谱方法对配合物结构进行了表征,并初步研究了配合物的吸收光谱和荧光光谱。结果表明,配合物Ir(DPQ)3在387和458nm处存在单线态1MLCT（金属到配体的电荷跃迁）和三线态3MLCT的吸收;在634nm 处有较强的金属配合物三线态的磷光发射。     

Photochemical Reduction of Low Concentrations of CO2 in a Porous Coordination Polymer with a Ruthenium(II)–CO Complex

Direct use of low pressures of CO₂ as a C1 source without concentration from gas mixtures is of great interest from an energy‐saving viewpoint. Porous heterogeneous catalysts containing both adsorption and catalytically active sites are promising candidates for such applications. Here, we report a porous coordination polymer (PCP)‐based catalyst, PCP‐Ru^II composite, bearing a Ru^II‐CO complex active for CO₂ reduction. The PCP‐Ru^II composite showed improved CO₂ adsorption behavior at ambient temperature. In the photochemical reduction of CO₂ the PCP‐Ru^II composite produced CO, HCOOH, and H₂. Catalytic activity was comparable with the corresponding homogeneous Ru^II catalyst and ranks among the highest of known PCP‐based catalysts. Furthermore, catalytic activity was maintained even under a 5 % CO₂/Ar gas mixture, revealing a synergistic effect between the adsorption and catalytically active sites within the PCP‐Ru^II composite.