| Summary: | The synthesis and characterization of water-soluble copolymers containing <i>N,N</i>-dimethylacrylamide (DMAM) and a vinylic monomer containing an Iridium(III), Ir(III), complex substituted with the quinoline-based unit 2-(pyridin-2-ylo)-6-styrene-4-phenylquinoline (VQPy) as ligand are reported. These copolymers were prepared through pre- or post-polymerization complexation of Ir(III) with the VQPy units. The first methodology led to copolymer <b>P1</b> having fully complexed VQPy units, whereas the latter methodology allowed the preparation of terpolymers containing free and Ir(III)-complexed VQPy units (copolymer <b>P2</b>). The optical properties of the copolymers were studied in detail through UV-Vis and photoluminescence spectroscopy in aqueous solution. It is shown that the metal-to-ligand charge transfer (ΜLCT) emission is prevailing in the case of <b>P1</b>, regardless of pH. In contrast, in the case of terpolymer <b>P2</b> the MLCT emission of the Ir(III) complex is combined with the pH-responsive emission of free VQPy units, leading to characteristic pH-responsive color changes under UV illumination in the acidic pH region.
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