Dissecting conjugation and electronic effects on the linear and non-linear optical properties of rhenium(I) carbonyl complexes

Herein, we report a theoretical and experimental analysis of the conjugation and electronic effects on the one-photon (1PA) and two-photon absorption (2PA) properties of a series of Re(I) carbonyl complexes with terpyridine-based ligands. An excellent agreement was obtained between the calculated and experimental 2PA spectra of the κ2N-terpyridine tricarbonyl complexes (1a-b), with 2PA cross sections reaching up to ca. 40 GM in DMF. By stepwise lowering the conjugation length in the terpy ligand and changing the local symmetry around the metal centre, we show that conjugation and delocalisation play a major role in increasing 2PA cross sections, and that the character of the excited states does not directly enhance the non-linear properties of these complexes-contrary to the results observed in 1PA. Altogether, these results give valuable guidelines towards more efficient two-photon-absorbing coordination complexes of Re(I), with potential applications in photodynamic therapy and two-photon imaging.

Syntheses, crystal structures and DNA-binding activities of divalent Fe, Cu, Zn and Cd complexes with 4′-(furan-2-yl)-2,2′:6′,2″-terpyridine

Five coordination complexes [Fe(ftpy)2](ClO4)2·(H2O)2 (1), [Cu(ftpy)(NO3)(H2O)](NO3) (2), [Cu(ftpy)2]2(ClO4)4·(C2H5OH) (3), [Zn(ftpy)2]·(ClO4)2·(H2O)1.5 (4) and [Cd(ftpy)2]2(ClO4)4·(C2H5OH) (5) (ftpy=4′-(furan-2-yl)-2,2′:6′,2′-terpyridine) have been synthesized and characterized by IR, elemental analysis and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. With the exception of 4, all complexes adopt normal homoleptic [M(ftpy)2]2+ motifs. In the crystal, both hydrogen bonds and face-to-face interactions between furyl and pyridyl rings facilitate the construction of three-dimensional networks. The DNA-binding activities of the five complexes have been investigated by fluorescence emission titration at room temperature suggesting an intercalative mode for 1–3 with a relative order, 3>2>1, and a combined static and dynamic mode for 4 and 5.

Lighting the Way to See Inside Two-Photon Absorption Materials: Structure-Property Relationship and Biological Imaging

The application of two-photon absorption (2PA) materials is a classical research field and has recently attracted increasing interest. It has generated a demand for new dyes with high 2PA cross-sections. In this short review, we briefly cover the structure-2PA property relationships of organic fluorophores, organic-inorganic nanohybrids and metal complexes explored by our group. (1) The two-photon absorption cross-section (δ) of organic fluorophores increases with the extent of charge transfer, which is important to optimize the core, donor-acceptor pair, and conjugation-bridge to obtain a large δ value. Among the various cores, triphenylamine appears to be an efficient core. Lengthening of the conjugation with styryl groups in the D-π-D quadrupoles and D-π-A dipoles increased δ over a long wavelength range than when vinylene groups were used. Large values of δ were observed for extended conjugation length and moderate donor-acceptors in the near-IR wavelengths. The δ value of the three-arm octupole is larger than that of the individual arm, if the core has electron accepting groups that allow significant electronic coupling between the arms; (2) Optical functional organic/inorganic hybrid materials usually show high thermal stability and excellent optical activity; therefore the design of functional organic molecules to build functional organic-inorganic hybrids and optimize the 2PA properties are significant. Advances have been made in the design of organic-inorganic nanohybrid materials of different sizes and shapes for 2PA property, which provide useful examples to illustrate the new features of the 2PA response in comparison to the more thoroughly investigated donor-acceptor based organic compounds and inorganic components; (3) Metal complexes are of particular interest for the design of new materials with large 2PA ability. They offer a wide range of metals with different ligands, which can give rise to tunable electronic and 2PA properties. The metal ions, including transition metals and lanthanides, can serve as an important part of the structure to control the intramolecular charge-transfer process that drives the 2PA process. As templates, transition metal ions can assemble simple to more sophisticated ligands in a variety of multipolar arrangements resulting in interesting and tailorable electronic and optical properties, depending on the nature of the metal center and the energetics of the metal-ligand interactions, such as intraligand charge-transfer (ILCT) and metal-ligand charge-transfer (MLCT) processes. Lanthanide complexes are attractive for a number of reasons: (i) their visible emissions are quite long-lived; (ii) their absorption and emission can be tuned with the aid of appropriate photoactive ligands; (iii) the accessible energy-transfer path between the photo-active ligands and the lanthanide ion can facilitate efficient lanthanide-based 2PA properties. Thus, the above materials with excellent 2PA properties should be applied in two-photon applications, especially two-photon fluorescence microscopy (TPFM) and related emission-based applications. Furthermore, the progress of research into the use of those new 2PA materials with moderate 2PA cross section in the near-infrared region, good Materials 2017, 10, 223 2 of 37 biocompatibility, and enhanced two-photon excited fluorescence for two-photon bio-imaging is summarized. In addition, several possible future directions in this field are also discussed (146 references).

Synthesis, X-ray crystal structures and thermal analyses of some new antimicrobial zinc complexes: New configurations and nano-size structures

Some new five coordinated ZnLX2 complexes, where L is N3-Schiff base ligand obtained by condensation reaction between diethylenetriamine and (E)-3-(2-nitrophenyl)acrylaldehyde and X (Cl(-), Br(-), I(-), N3(-) and NCS(-)), were synthesized and characterized by FT-IR, (1)H and (13)CNMR, UV-visible, ESI-mass spectra and molar conductivity measurements. The structures of zinc iodide and thiocyanate complexes were determined by X-ray crystallographic analysis. The X-ray results showed that the Zn (II) center in these complexes is five-coordinated in a distorted trigonal-bipyramidal configuration. Zinc iodide and thiocyanate complexes crystallize in the monoclinic and triclinic systems with space groups of C2/c and P1- with eight and two molecules per unit cell respectively. The crystal packing of the complexes consists of intermolecular interactions such as C-H(…)O and C-H(…)I, C-H(···)S, N(…)O, together with π-π stacking and some other unexpected interactions. The mentioned interactions cause three-dimensional supramolecular structure in the solid state. Zinc complexes were also prepared in nano-structure by sonochemical method confirmed by XRD, SEM and TEM analyses. Moreover, ZnO nanoparticles were synthesized by direct thermolysis of zinc iodide complex. Furthermore, antimicrobial and thermal properties of the compounds were completely investigated.

Thiophene-based pyridine derivatives: synthesis, crystal structures, two-photon absorption properties and bio-imaging applications in the near-IR region

Two novel D–π–A structural chromophores showing large 2PA active cross-sections, low cytotoxicity and high stability in near-IR bio-imaging.

A series of Zn(ii) terpyridine complexes with enhanced two-photon-excited fluorescence for in vitro and in vivo bioimaging

TPA cross sections are enhanced for the complexes containing D–A type ligandL1.1exhibits specificity in two-photon fluorescence imaging.

Synthesis and characterization of copper(II) 4'-phenyl-terpyridine compounds and catalytic application for aerobic oxidation of benzylic alcohols

The reactions between 4'-phenyl-terpyridine (L) and nitrate, acetate or chloride Cu(II) salts led to the formation of [Cu(NO3)2L] (1), [Cu(OCOCH3)2L]·CH2Cl2 (2·CH2Cl2) and [CuCl2L]·[Cu(Cl)(μ-Cl)L]2 (3), respectively. Upon dissolving 1 in mixtures of DMSO-MeOH or EtOH-DMF the compounds [Cu(H2O){OS(CH3)2}L](NO3)2 (4) and [Cu(HO)(CH3CH2OH)L](NO3) (5) were obtained, in this order. Reaction of 3 with AgSO3CF3 led to [CuCl(OSO2CF3)L] (6). The compounds were characterized by ESI-MS, IR, elemental analysis, electrochemical techniques and, for 2-6, also by single crystal X-ray diffraction. They undergo, by cyclic voltammetry, two single-electron irreversible reductions assigned to Cu(II) → Cu(I) and Cu(I) → Cu(0) and, for those of the same structural type, the reduction potential appears to correlate with the summation of the values of the Lever electrochemical EL ligand parameter, which is reported for the first time for copper complexes. Complexes 1-6 in combination with TEMPO (2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidinyl-1-oxyl radical) can exhibit a high catalytic activity, under mild conditions and in alkaline aqueous solution, for the aerobic oxidation of benzylic alcohols. Molar yields up to 94% (based on the alcohol) with TON values up to 320 were achieved after 22 h.