Electrochemistry and spectroelectrochemistry of [Re(1,2-bis(dimethylphosphino)ethane)3]+

A new era of LMCT: leveraging ligand-to-metal charge transfer excited states for photochemical reactions

Ligand-to-metal charge transfer (LMCT) excited states are capable of undergoing a wide array of photochemical reactions, yet receive minimal attention compared to other charge transfer excited states. This work provides general criteria for designing transition metal complexes that exhibit low energy LMCT excited states and routes to drive photochemistry from these excited states. General design principles regarding metal identity, oxidation state, geometry, and ligand sets are summarized. Fundamental photoreactions from these states including visible light-induced homolysis, excited state electron transfer, and other photoinduced chemical transformations are discussed and key design principles for enabling these photochemical reactions are further highlighted. Guided by these fundamentals, this review outlines critical considerations for the future design and application of coordination complexes with LMCT excited states.

The ligand-to-metal charge transfer excited state of [Re(dmpe)3]2

The ligand-to-metal charge transfer (LMCT) transitions of [Re(dmpe)₃]²⁺ (dmpe = bis-1,2-(dimethylphosphino)ethane) were interrogated using UV/Vis absorbance spectroscopy, photoluminescence spectroscopy, and time-dependent density functional theory. The solvent dependence of the lowest energy charge transfer transition was quantified; no solvatochromism was observed. TD-DFT calculations reveal the dominant LMCT transition is highly symmetric and delocalized involving all phopshine ligand donors in the charge transfer, providing an understanding for the absence of solvatochromism of [Re(dmpe)₃]²⁺.

The binuclear dual emitter [Br(CO)3Re(PN)(NP)Re(CO)3Br] (PN): 3-chloro-6-(4-diphenylphosphinyl)butoxypyridazine, a new bridging P,N-bidentate ligand resulting from the ring opening of tetrahydrofuran

Lithium diphenylphosphide unexpectedly provokes the ring-opening of tetrahydrofuran (THF) and by reaction with 3,6-dichloropyridazine leads to the formation of the ligand 3-chloro-6-(4-diphenylphosphinyl)butoxypyridazine (P⋯N), which was isolated. The reaction of this ligand with the (Re(CO)₃(THF)Br)₂ dimer yields the novel complex [Br(CO)₃Re(μ-3-chloro-6-(4-diphenylphosphinyl)butoxypyridazine)₂Re(CO)₃Br] (BrRe(P⋯N)(N⋯P)ReBr), which was crystallized in the form of a chloroform solvate, (C₄₆H₄₀Br₂Cl₂N₄O₈P₂Re₂)·(CHCl₃). The monoclinic crystal (P2₁/n) displays a bimetallic cage structure with a symmetry inversion centre in the middle of the rhenium to rhenium line. The molecule shows two oxidation signals occurring at +1.50 V and +1.76 V which were assigned to the Re^I/Re^II and Re^II/Re^III metal-centered couples, respectively, while signals observed at -1.38 V and -1.68 V were assigned to ligand centered reductions. Experimental and DFT/TDDFT results indicate that the UV-Vis absorption maximum of BrRe(P⋯N)(N⋯P)ReBr occurring near 380 nm displays a metal to ligand charge transfer (MLCT) character, which is consistent with CV results. Upon excitation at this wavelength, a weak emission (Φ_em < 1 × 10^-3) is observed around 580 nm (in dichloromethane) which decays with two distinct lifetimes τ₁ and τ₂ of 24 and 4.7 ns, respectively. The prevalence of non-radiative deactivation pathways is consistent with efficient internal conversion induced by the high conformational flexibility of the P⋯N ligand's long carbon chain. Measurements in a frozen solvent at 77 K, where vibrational deactivation is hindered, show intense emission associated with the ³MLCT state. These results demonstrate that BrRe(P⋯N)(N⋯P)ReBr preserves the dual emitting nature previously reported for the mononuclear complex RePNBr, with emission associated with and states.

Highly Oxidizing Excited States of Re and Tc Complexes

Like the Re analogue, the ligand-to-metal charge transfer (LMCT) excited-state of [Tc(dmpe)3]2+ (dmpe is bis-1,2-(dimethylphosphino)ethane) is luminescent in solution at room temperature. Surprisingly, both [M(dmpe)3]2+* species have extremely large excited-state potentials (ESPs) as oxidants-the highest for any simple coordination complex of a transition metal. Furthermore, this potential is available using a photon of visible light (calculated for M = Re(Tc); E1/2* = +2.61(2.52) V versus SCE; lambdamax = 526(585) nm). Using a Rehm-Weller analysis with a series of aromatic hydrocarbons as electron-transfer quenchers, E1/2(Re2+*/Re+) has been determined to be 2.58 V, in good agreement with the calculated value. Both [M(dmpe)3]2+* species are quenched by chloride ion and both can function as excited-state oxidants in water solution.