The Tail Wags the Dog: The Far Periphery of the Coordination Environment Manipulates the Photophysical Properties of Heteroleptic Cu(I) Complexes

In this work we show, using the example of a series of [Cu(Xantphos)(N^N)]<sup>+</sup> complexes (N^N being substituted 5-phenyl-bipyridine) with different peripheral N^N ligands, that substituents distant from the main action zone can have a significant effect on the physicochemical pro...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Aleksandra Paderina, Alexey Melnikov, Sofia Slavova, Vladimir Sizov, Vladislav Gurzhiy, Stanislav Petrovskii, Maksim Luginin, Oleg Levin, Igor Koshevoy, Elena Grachova
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2022-03-01
Series:Molecules
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/27/7/2250
Description
Summary:In this work we show, using the example of a series of [Cu(Xantphos)(N^N)]<sup>+</sup> complexes (N^N being substituted 5-phenyl-bipyridine) with different peripheral N^N ligands, that substituents distant from the main action zone can have a significant effect on the physicochemical properties of the system. By using the C≡C bond on the periphery of the coordination environment, three hybrid molecular systems with −Si(CH<sub>3</sub>)<sub>3</sub>, −Au(PR<sub>3</sub>), and −C<sub>2</sub>HN<sub>3</sub>(CH<sub>2</sub>)C<sub>10</sub>H<sub>7</sub> fragments were produced. The Cu(I) complexes thus obtained demonstrate complicated emission behaviour, which was investigated by spectroscopic, electrochemical, and computational methods in order to understand the mechanism of energy transfer. It was found that the −Si(CH<sub>3</sub>)<sub>3</sub> fragment connected to the peripheral C≡C bond changes luminescence to long-lived intra-ligand phosphorescence, in contrast to MLCT phosphorescence or TADF. The obtained results can be used for the design of new materials based on Cu(I) complexes with controlled optoelectronic properties on the molecular level, as well as for the production of hybrid systems.
ISSN:1420-3049