pH-Responsive N^C-Cyclometalated Iridium(III) Complexes: Synthesis,Photophysical Properties,Computational Results,and Bioimaging Application

Herein we report four [Ir(N^C)₂(L^L)]ⁿ⁺, n = 0,1 complexes (1–4) containing cyclometallated N^C ligand (N^CH = 1-phenyl-2-(4-(pyridin-2-yl)phenyl)-1H-phenanthro[9,10-d]imidazole) and various bidentate L^L ligands (picolinic acid (1), 2,2′-bipyridine (2), [2,2′-bipyridine]-4,4′-dicarboxylic acid (3), and sodium 4,4′,4″,4‴-(1,2-phenylenebis(phosphanetriyl))tetrabenzenesulfonate (4). The N^CH ligand precursor and iridium complexes 1–4 were synthesized in good yield and characterized using chemical analysis, ESI mass spectrometry, and NMR spectroscopy. The solid-state structure of 2 was also determined by XRD analysis. The complexes display moderate to strong phosphorescence in the 550–670 nm range with the quantum yields up to 30% and lifetimes of the excited state up to 60 µs in deoxygenated solution. Emission properties of 1–4 and N^CH are strongly pH-dependent to give considerable variations in excitation and emission profiles accompanied by changes in emission efficiency and dynamics of the excited state. Density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent density functional theory (TD DFT) calculations made it possible to assign the nature of emissive excited states in both deprotonated and protonated forms of these molecules. The complexes 3 and 4 internalize into living CHO-K1 cells, localize in cytoplasmic vesicles, primarily in lysosomes and acidified endosomes, and demonstrate relatively low toxicity, showing more than 80% cells viability up to the concentration of 10 µM after 24 h incubation. Phosphorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (PLIM) experiments in these cells display lifetime distribution, the conversion of which into pH values using calibration curves gives the magnitudes of this parameter compatible with the physiologically relevant interval of the cell compartments pH.     

Synthesis and Structure of an Enantiopure Dirhodium Loop with Unusual Axial Coordination

The crystals of enantiopure SS-[cis-Rh2(Ph2C6H4)2(O2CC2F4CO2)]2((CH3)2CHCH2NH2)3(1) were obtained from the reaction of S-[cis-Rh2(Ph2C6H4)2(CH3CN)6]BF4(S-2) and(Et4N)2(O2CC2F4CO2) in CH2Cl2/CH3OH under the presence of sec-butyl amine.Compound 1 crystallizes in orthorhombic,space group P212121 with a = 16.880(5),b = 28.728(9),c = 20.475(6) ,V = 9929(5) 3,Z = 4,C95H96Cl5F8N3O8.50P4Rh4,Mr = 2280.52,Dc = 1.526 g/cm3,F(000) = 4608 and μ(MoKα) = 0.922 mm-1.The final R = 0.0488 and wR = 0.1164 for 17204 observed reflections with I > 2σ(I) and R = 0.0814 and wR = 0.1374 for all data with absolute structure parameter =-0.04(3).Compound 1 contains two inherently chiral S-[cis-Rh2(Ph2C6H4)2] moieties which are connected by two(O2CC2F4CO2) dicarboxylate ligands in the equatorial positions.One of the dirhodium units with Rh-Rh distance of 2.5445(8)  is further coordinated by a sec-butyl amine in each axial position.Another dirohdium unit has only one axial sec-butyl amine ligand,and its Rh-Rh distance is 2.5079(9) .     

An Unusual Organometallic Supramolecule Composed of Chiral Dirhodium Units and Sulfato Bridging Ligands

A chiral supramolecular compound (H3O){[cis-Rh2((C6H5)2P(C6H4))2(SO4)- (DMF)]2(μ- OC2H5)}·6C2H5OH (1) has been synthesized and characterized by X-ray single-crystal analysis. Compound 1 crystallizes in monoclinic, space group C2/c with a = 26.752(3), b = 13.5868(16), c = 26.611(3) , β = 103.891(2)°, V = 9389.5(19) 3, Z = 4, C92H114N2O18P4Rh4, Mr = 2135.49, Dc = 1.511 g/cm3, F(000) = 4384 and μ(MoKα) = 0.870 mm-1. The final R = 0.0441 and wR = 0.1186 for 8283 observed reflections with I > 2σ(I) and R = 0.0567 and wR = 0.1290 for all data. The structure of the compound is unique. It contains two inherent chiral {cis-Rh2[(C6H5)2P(C6H4)]2}2+ units which are connected not only in the equatorial positions by two sulfato ligands, but also in two of their axial positions by a μ2 ethoxide anion. The remaining axial positions of Rh24+ units in 1 are occupied by the DMF molecules. The sulfato ligands act as μ4 tridentate bridges to connect the Rh24+ units. The Rh-Rh metal-metal bond distances are comparable to those in analogous dirhodium compounds.