A series of blue-green-yellow-red emitting Cu(I) complexes: Molecular structure and photophysical performance

Multistimuli-responsive multicolor solid-state luminescence tuned by NH-dependent switchable hydrogen bonds

Revealing the stimuli-responsive mechanism is the key to the accurate design of stimuli-responsive luminescent materials. We report herein the multistimuli-responsive multicolor solid-state luminescence of a new dicopper(I) complex [{Cu(bpmtzH)}2(μ-dppa)2](ClO4)2 (1), and the multistimuli-responsive mechanism is clarified by investigating its four different solvated compounds 1·2CH3COCH3·2H2O, 1·2DMSO·2H2O, 1·4CH3OH, and 1·4CH2Cl2. It is shown that luminescence mechanochromism is associated with the breakage of the hydrogen bonds of bmptzH-NH with counter-ions such as ClO4- induced by grinding, while luminescence vapochromism is attributable to the breaking and forming of hydrogen bonds of dppa-NH with solvents, such as acetone, dimethylsulfoxide, and methanol, caused by heating and vapor fuming. In addition, those results might provide new insights into the design and synthesis of multistimuli-responsive multicolor luminescent materials by using various structure-sensitive functional groups, such as distinct N-H ones, to construct switchable hydrogen bonds.

On the modulation/energy competing of Tb(III)/Eu(III) emission in microporous MOF host for peroxide recognition

Being an important chemical reagent having moderate oxidizability, peracitic acid (PAA) has been applied in modern industries and processing, as well as public safety. These versatile applications make PAA an important analyte to be precisely and sensitively detected. The present work chose the combination of rare-earth-based probe and a microporous host bio-MOF-1 ([Zn₈(ad)₄(BPDC)₆O·2(Me₂NH₂)⁺]·G, ad = adenine, BPDC = 4,4'-biphenyl dicarboxylic acid, G = N,N-dimetylformamide and water). Two β-diketone ligands, 1,3-di(pyridin-3-yl)propane-1,3-dione (DPY) and 1,3-diphenylpropane-1,3-dione (DPP), were coordinated to Tb(III) and Eu(III) ions to form probe [RE(DPY/DPP)₂]Cl which was loaded into bio-MOF-1 micropores with different loading contents via an ionic exchange operation. The resulting composite samples were fully characterized, including synthesis, morphology, composition, sensing performance and mechanism. The protonation/oxidization of DPY and DPP ligands adjusted their triplet energy level (T₁) and consequently affected their energy transfer (ET) efficiency to RE ions, resulting in the variation of RE emission relative intensity. A new pathway for PAA optical sensing was thus proposed. Linear fitting equations were observed for DPY-based samples, showing fluorescence intensity ratio value of 8.80, response time of 9 s, and LOD of 8.08 μM within working region of 0-140 μM.

[6-(Thiophen-2-yl)-2,2′-bipyridine]bis(triphenylphosphine) Copper(I) Tetrafluoroborate

The novel heteroleptic copper (I) complex [6-(thiophen-2-yl)-2,2′-bipyridine]bis(triphenylphosphine) copper(I) tetrafluoroborate (1), formulated as [CuL(PPh3)2]BF4, was synthesized in two steps, utilizing the diimine type ligand L = 6-(thiophen-2-yl)-2,2′-bipyridine and triphenylphosphine (PPh3). The compound was characterized both in the solid state and in solution by employing single crystal X-ray diffraction, IR, UV, and NMR spectroscopies. The complex is an orange emitter that demonstrates a photoluminescence quantum yield of 2.6% in the solid state.

Photoactive Copper Complexes: Properties and Applications

Photocatalyzed and photosensitized chemical processes have seen growing interest recently and have become among the most active areas of chemical research, notably due to their applications in fields such as medicine, chemical synthesis, material science or environmental chemistry. Among all homogeneous catalytic systems reported to date, photoactive copper(I) complexes have been shown to be especially attractive, not only as alternative to noble metal complexes, and have been extensively studied and utilized recently. They are at the core of this review article which is divided into two main sections. The first one focuses on an exhaustive and comprehensive overview of the structural, photophysical and electrochemical properties of mononuclear copper(I) complexes, typical examples highlighting the most critical structural parameters and their impact on the properties being presented to enlighten future design of photoactive copper(I) complexes. The second section is devoted to their main areas of application (photoredox catalysis of organic reactions and polymerization, hydrogen production, photoreduction of carbon dioxide and dye-sensitized solar cells), illustrating their progression from early systems to the current state-of-the-art and showcasing how some limitations of photoactive copper(I) complexes can be overcome with their high versatility.

Effective Singlet Oxygen Sensitizers Based on the Phenazine Skeleton as Efficient Light Absorbers in Dye Photoinitiating Systems for Radical Polymerization of Acrylates

A series of dyes based on the phenazine skeleton were synthesized. They differed in the number of conjugated double bonds, the arrangement of aromatic rings (linear and/or angular system), as well as the number and position of nitrogen atoms in the molecule. These compounds were investigated as potential singlet oxygen sensitizers and visible light absorbers in dye photoinitiating systems for radical polymerization. The quantum yield of the singlet oxygen formation was determined by the comparative method based on the 1H NMR spectra recorded for the tested dyes in the presence of 2,3-diphenyl-p-dioxene before and after irradiation. The quantum yield of the triplet state formation was estimated based on the transient absorption spectra recorded using the nanosecond flash photolysis technique. The effectiveness of the dye photoinitiating system was characterized by the initial rate of trimethylolpropane triacrylate (TMPTA) polymerization. In the investigated photoinitiating systems, the sensitizer was an electron acceptor, whereas the co-initiator was an electron donor. The effectiveness of TMPTA photoinitiated polymerization clearly depended on the arrangement of aromatic rings and the number of nitrogen atoms in the modified phenazine structure as well as the quantum yield of the triplet state formation of the photosensitizer in the visible light region.

Improving oxygen sensing performance via inner-molecular π-π stacking in a series of phosphorescent Cu(I) complexes

In this paper, six phosphorescent Cu(I) complexes with three diamine ligands and two phosphorous ligands were prepared. Detailed discussion was performed on these complexes, including single crystals, quantum mechanics theoretical calculation, absorption spectra, emission spectra, emission quantum yields and excited state decay dynamics. Large conjugation planes and π-π stacking were found in these complexes. Their emission was originated from MLCT excited state. Long-lived emissive center was observed due to this MLCT-based decay and the help from π-π stacking. Such long-lived emissive state and the large conjugation planes in these complexes offered enough collision probability with O₂ molecules, making themselves potential oxygen sensing probes. These six complexes were then doped into silica supporting matrix MCM-41 spheres. The resulting composite samples and their emission sensing response towards O₂ were discussed in detail. The optimal sample showed sensitivity as high as 7.80 with response time of 14 s. A careful discussion between Cu(I) complex molecular structure and sensing performance was performed. It was concluded that both a long lifetime and a large conjugation plane lead to improved sensing sensitivity since they increased the collision probability with O₂ molecules. On the other hand, it was found that both sensing response and recovery times were mainly controlled by O₂ diffusion in supporting matrix.