Luminescent Copper(I) Halide Butterfly Dimers Coordinated to [Au(CH3imCH2py)2]BF4 and [Au(CH3imCH2quin)2]BF4

Unexpected structural preference with metallophilic Ag-Au contacts in silver(I)-N-heterocyclic carbene cluster; experimental and theoretical approach

A novel synthetic donor-atom-selective approach has been adopted for the synthesis of a heterobimetallic cluster of a new NCN-pincer, 1,3-bis-(1-methyl-1H-benzo[d]imidazol-2-yl-methyl)-1H-imidazol-3-ium hexafluorophosphate (1·HPF6). The complex [Ag3(1)3][PF6]3 (2) has been prepared via the Ag2O route; which undergoes transmetallation to yield a cluster that seems to be the first example of the heterobimetallic trinuclear system [Au-Ag2(1)2Cl][PF6]2, 3. Finally, the trinuclear cluster geometries of 2 and 3 were confirmed via SCXRD studies. Interestingly, Au(I) binds preferentially with soft donor Ccarbene, which transmetallated from the cluster of 2. In both the cyclic trinuclear clusters, the M-M interactions were further inspected using gauge independent atomic orbital (GIAO) computations. Both 2 and 3 are luminescent and possess σ-aromaticity; the NICS values indicate that 3 is more aromatic than 2.

Dimetal-Binding Scaffold 2-(Pyridin-2-yl)imidazo [1,5-b]pyridazine-7-ylidene: Synthesis of Trinuclear Heterobimetallic Complexes Involving Gold-Metal Interactions

As a dimetal-binding rigid scaffold, 2-(pyridin-2-yl)imidazo[1,5-b]pyridazine-7-ylidene was introduced. The scaffold was first converted into a meridional Au,N,N-tridentate ligand through binding of a Au(I)Cl moiety at the carbene center. The Au(I) center and the N,N-chelating moiety were expected to function as metallophilic and 4e-σ-donative interaction sites, respectively, in the binding of the second metal center. In this manner, various trinuclear heterobimetallic complexes were synthesized with different 3d-metal sources, such as cationic CuI , CuII , NiII , and CoII salts. SC-XRD analysis showed that the mono-3d-metal di-gold(I) trinuclear heterobimetallic complexes were constructed through gold(I)-metal interactions. Metallophilic interactions were also investigated by quantum chemical calculations including the AIM and IGMH methods.

Self-Assembled Encapsulation of CuX2- (X = Br, Cl) in a Gold Phosphine Box-like Cavity with Metallophilic Au-Cu Interactions

Synthetic routes to the crystallization of two new box-like complexes, [Au6(Triphos)4(CuBr2)](OTf)5·(CH2Cl2)3·(CH3OH)3·(H2O)4 (1) and [Au6(Triphos)4 (CuCl2)](PF6)5·(CH2Cl2)4 (2) (triphos = bis(2-diphenylphosphinoethyl)phenylphosphine), have been developed. The two centrosymmetric cationic complexes have been structurally characterized through single-crystal X-ray diffraction and shown to contain a CuX2- (X = Br or Cl) unit suspended between two Au(I) centers without the involvement of bridging ligands. These colorless crystals display green luminescence (λem = 527 nm) for (1) and teal luminescence (λem = 464 nm) for (2). Computational results document the metallophilic interactions that are involved in positioning the Cu(I) center between the two Au(I) ions and in the luminescence.

Twisting the arm: structural constraints in bicyclic expanded-ring N-heterocyclic carbenes

A series of diaryl, mono-aryl/alkyl and dialkyl mono- and bicyclic expanded-ring N-heterocyclic carbenes (ER-NHCs) have been prepared and their complexation to Au(i) investigated through the structural analysis of fifteen Au(NHC)X and/or [Au(NHC)₂]X complexes. The substituted diaryl 7-NHCs are the most sterically encumbered with large buried volume (%V_B) values of 40-50% with the less flexible six-membered analogues having %V_B values at least 5% smaller. Although the bicyclic systems containing fused 6- and 7-membered rings (6,7-NHCs) are constrained with relatively acute NCN bond angles, they have the largest %V_B values of the dialkyl derivatives reported here, a feature related to the fixed conformation of the heterocyclic rings and the compressional effect of a pre-set methyl substituent.

Synthesis, structures and luminescence properties of amine-bis(N-heterocyclic carbene) copper(i) and silver(i) complexes

Mononuclear Ag(i), Cu(i) and heterometallic Cu(i)/Ag(i) complexes with the tridentate amine-bis(N-heterocyclic carbene) were prepared, among which Cu(i)- and Cu/Ag complexes show luminescence properties.

Copper and Gold Cyclic (Alkyl)(amino)carbene Complexes with Sub-Microsecond Photoemissions: Structure and Substituent Effects on Redox and Luminescent Properties

Copper and gold halide and pseudo-halide complexes stabilised by methyl-, ethyl- and adamantyl-substituted cyclic (alkyl)(amino)carbene (CAAC) ligands are mostly linear monomers in the solid state, without aurophilic Au⋅⋅⋅Au interactions. (^Et2 L)CuCl shows the highest photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) in the series, 70 %. The photoemissions of ^Me2 L and ^Et2 L copper halide complexes show S₁ →S₀ fluorescence on the ns time scale, in agreement with theory, as well as a long-lived emission. Monomeric (^Me2 L)CuNCS is a white emitter, whereas dimeric [(^Et2 L)Cu(μ-NCS)]₂ shows intense yellow emission with a photoluminescence (PL) quantum yield of 49 %. The reaction of (^Ad L)MCl (M=Cu or Au) with phenols ArOH (Ar=Ph, 2,6-F₂ C₆ H₃ , 2,6-Me₂ C₆ H₃ , 3,5-tBu₂ C₆ H₃ , 2-tBu-5-MeC₆ H₃ , 2-pyridyl), thiophenol, or aromatic amines H₂ NAr'' (Ar'=Ph, 3,5-(CF₃ )₂ C₆ H₃ , C₆ F₅ , 2-py) afforded the corresponding phenolato, thiophenolato and amido complexes. Although the emission wavelengths are only marginally affected by the ring substitution pattern, the PL intensities respond sensitively to the presence of substituents in the ortho or meta positions. In gold aryloxides, PL is controlled by steric factors, with strong luminescence in compounds with Au-O-C-C torsion angles <50°. Calculations confirm the dependence of oscillator strength on the torsion angle, as well as the inter-ligand charge transfer nature of the emission. The HOMO/LUMO energy levels were estimated based on first reduction and oxidation potentials.

New Au(i)–Cu(i) heterometallic complexes: the role of bridging pyridazine ligands in the presence of unsupported metallophilic interactions

The use of N-donor pyridazine ligands in different amounts in the reaction with a Au(i)/Cu(i) precursor allows the control of metallophilic interactions in the solid state.

Highly photoluminescent copper carbene complexes based on prompt rather than delayed fluorescence

Linear two-coordinate copper complexes of cyclic (alkyl)(amino)carbenes (CAAC)CuX (X = halide) show photoluminescence with solid-state quantum yields of up to 96%; in contrast to previously reported Cu photoemitters the emission is independent of temperature over the range T = 4-300 K and occurs very efficiently by prompt rather than delayed fluorescence, with lifetimes in the sub-nanosecond range.

Three-coordinate gold(I) N-heterocyclic carbene complexes: a new class of strongly luminescent derivatives

A selected group of cationic three-coordinate Au(I)-NHC complexes of the form [Au(NHC)(dppbz)]OTf have been prepared from a commercially available bidentate phosphine. All complexes have been fully characterised by NMR and mass spectroscopy. The [Au(NHC)](+) fragment shows a pronounced tendency to form linear complexes which is confirmed by the molecular structure of [Au(IPr)(dppbz)]OTf in the solid state. The complexes are brightly luminescent and present very high quantum yield values in the solid state. The assignments of the electronic transitions involved in the emissions are of a phosphorescent nature and it is proposed that the origin of the emissions is derived from the ligand (dppbz) to metal-ligand (Au-NHC) charge-transfer (LML'CT) transition.

N-heterocyclic carbene metal complexes: photoluminescence and applications

This review covers the advances made in the synthesis and applications of luminescent transition metal complexes containing N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ligands.

Luminescent di- and polynuclear organometallic gold(I)-metal (Au2, {Au2Ag}n and {Au2Cu}n) compounds containing bidentate phosphanes as active antimicrobial agents

The reaction of new dinuclear gold(I) organometallic complexes containing mesityl ligands and bridging bidentate phosphanes [Au(2)(mes)(2)(μ-LL)] (LL=dppe: 1,2-bis(diphenylphosphano)ethane 1a, and water-soluble dppy: 1,2-bis(di-3-pyridylphosphano)ethane 1b) with Ag(+) and Cu(+) lead to the formation of a family of heterometallic clusters with mesityl bridging ligands of the general formula [Au(2)M(μ-mes)(2) (μ-LL)][A] (M=Ag, A=ClO(4)(-), LL=dppe 2a, dppy 2b; M=Ag, A=SO(3)CF(3)(-), LL=dppe 3a, dppy 3b; M=Cu, A=PF(6)(-), LL=dppe 4a, dppy 4b). The new compounds were characterized by different spectroscopic techniques and mass spectrometry The crystal structures of [Au(2)(mes)(2)(μ-dppy)] (1b) and [Au(2)Ag(μ-mes)(2)(μ-dppe)][SO(3)CF(3)] (3a) were determined by a single-crystal X-ray diffraction study. 3a in solid state is not a cyclic trinuclear Au(2)Ag derivative but it gives an open polymeric structure instead, with the {Au(2)(μ-dppe)} fragments "linked" by {Ag(μ-mes)(2)} units. The very short distances of 2.7559(6) Å (Au-Ag) and 2.9229(8) Å (Au-Au) are indicative of gold-silver (metallophilic) and aurophilic interactions. A systematic study of their luminescence properties revealed that all compounds are brightly luminescent in solid state, at room temperature (RT) and at 77 K, or in frozen DMSO solutions with lifetimes in the microsecond range and probably due to the self-aggregation of [Au(2)M(μ-mes)(2)(μ-LL)](+) units (M=Ag or Cu; LL=dppe or dppy) into an extended chain structure, through Au-Au and/or Au-M metallophilic interactions, as that observed for 3a. In solid state the heterometallic Au(2)M complexes with dppe (2a-4a) show a shift of emission maxima (from ca. 430 to the range of 520-540 nm) as compared to the parent dinuclear organometallic product 1a while the complexes with dppy (2b-4b) display a more moderate shift (505 for 1b to a max of 563 nm for 4b). More importantly, compound [Au(2)Ag(μ-mes)(2)(μ-dppy)]ClO(4) (2b) resulted luminescent in diluted DMSO solution at room temperature. Previously reported compound [Au(2)Cl(2)(μ-LL)] (LL dppy 5b) was also studied for comparative purposes. The antimicrobial activity of 1-5 and Ag[A] (A=ClO(4)(-), SO(3)CF(3)(-)) against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria and yeast was evaluated. Most tested compounds displayed moderate to high antibacterial activity while heteronuclear Au(2)M derivatives with dppe (2a-4a) were the more active (minimum inhibitory concentration 10 to 1 μg mL(-1)). Compounds containing silver were ten times more active to gram-negative bacteria than the parent dinuclear compound 1a or silver salts. Au(2)Ag compounds with dppy (2b, 3b) were also potent against fungi.