Excited state decay of cyclometalated polypyridine ruthenium complexes: insight from theory and experiment.

Deactivation pathways of the triplet metal-to-ligand charge transfer ((3)MLCT) excited state of cyclometalated polypyridine ruthenium complexes with [RuN5C](+) coordination are discussed on the basis of the available experimental data and a series of density functional theory calculations. Three different complex classes are considered, namely with [Ru(N^N)2(N^C)](+), [Ru(N^N^N)(N^C^N)](+) and [Ru(N^N^N)(N^N^C)](+) coordination modes. Excited state deactivation in these complex types proceeds via five distinct decay channels. Vibronic coupling of the (3)MLCT state to high-energy oscillators of the singlet ground state ((1)GS) allows tunneling to the ground state followed by vibrational relaxation (path A). A ligand field excited state ((3)MC) is thermally accessible via a (3)MLCT →(3)MC transition state with the (3)MC state being strongly coupled to the (1)GS surface via a low-energy minimum energy crossing point (path B). Furthermore, a (3)MLCT →(1)GS surface crossing point directly couples the triplet and singlet potential energy surfaces (path C). Charge transfer states either with higher singlet character or with different orbital parentage and intrinsic symmetry restrictions are thermally populated which promote non-radiative decay via tunneling to the (1)GS state (path D). Finally, the excited state can decay via phosphorescence (path E). The dominant deactivation pathways differ for the three individual complex classes. The implications of these findings for isoelectronic iridium(iii) or iron(ii) complexes are discussed. Ultimately, strategies for optimizing the emission efficiencies of cyclometalated polypyridine complexes of d(6)-metal ions, especially Ru(II), are suggested.

Strongly Coupled Cyclometalated Ruthenium Triarylamine Chromophores as Sensitizers for DSSCs.

A series of anchor-functionalized cyclometalated bis(tridentate) ruthenium(II) triarylamine hybrids [Ru(dbp-X)(tctpy)](2-) [2 a](2-) -[2 c](2-) (H3 tctpy=2,2';6',2''-terpyridine-4,4',4''-tricarboxylic acid; dpbH=1,3-dipyridylbenzene; X=N(4-C6 H4 OMe)2 ([2 a](2-) ), NPh2 ([2 b](2-) ), N-carbazolyl [2 c](2-) ) was synthesized and characterized. All complexes show broad absorption bands in the range 300-700 nm with a maximum at about 545 nm. Methyl esters [Ru(Me3 tctpy)(dpb-X)](+) [1 a](+) -[1 c](+) are oxidized to the strongly coupled mixed-valent species [1 a](2+) -[1 c](2+) and the Ru(III) (aminium) complexes [1 a](3+) -[1 c](3+) at comparably low oxidation potentials. Theoretical calculations suggest an increasing spin delocalization between the metal center and the triarylamine unit in the order [1 a](2+) <[1 b](2+) <[1 c](2+) . Solar cells were prepared with the saponified complexes [2 a](2-) -[2 c](2-) and the reference dye N719 as sensitizers using the I3 (-) /I(-) couple and [Co(bpy)3 ](3+/2+) and [Co(ddpd)2 ](3+/2+) couples as [B(C6 F5 )4 ](-) salts as electrolytes (bpy=2,2'-bipyridine; ddpd=N,N'-dimethyl-N,N'-dipyridin-2-yl-pyridine-2,6-diamine). Cells with [2 c](2-) and I3 (-) /I(-) electrolyte perform similarly to cells with N719. In the presence of cobalt electrolytes, all efficiencies are reduced, yet under these conditions [2 c](2-) outperforms N719.

The photochemistry of mono- and dinuclear cyclometalated bis(tridentate)ruthenium(II) complexes: dual excited state deactivation and dual emission.

The synthesis and characterization of a series of weakly emissive mononuclear cyclometalated [Ru(dpb-R)(tpy)](+) complexes with functional groups R of varying electron-donating characters at the dpb ligand are described (dpbH = 1,3-di(2-pyridyl)benzene, tpy = 2,2';6',2''-terpyridine, 1(+): R = NHCOMe, 2(+): R = NH2, 3(+): R = COOEt, 4(+): R = COOH). Steady-state emission spectroscopy in the temperature range between 298 K and 77 K revealed a previously unrecognized excited state deactivation pathway via low-lying triplet ligand-to-ligand ((3)LL'CT) charge transfer states in addition to the well-known pathway via(3)MC states. Thermal activation barriers for depopulation of the emissive metal-to-ligand charge transfer ((3)MLCT) states via the (3)MC (metal-centered) and (3)LL'CT states were determined experimentally for complexes 1(+) and 3(+). The experimental results were further corroborated by calculating the respective (3)MLCT-(3)LL'CT and (3)MLCT-(3)MC transition states and their energies with density functional theoretical methods. The R substituent modifies the energy difference between the (3)MLCT and (3)LL'CT states and the corresponding activation barrier but leaves the analogous (3)MLCT/(3)MC energetics essentially untouched. Additionally, the dinuclear complex [(tpy)Ru(dpb-NHCO-dpb)Ru(tpy)](2+), 6(2+), containing a biscyclometalating bridge was devised. Despite the asymmetric nature induced by the amide bridge, the mixed-valent cation 6(3+) is ascribed to Robin-Day class II with a broad and intense intervalence charge-transfer (IVCT) absorption (λmax = 1165 nm). Upon optical excitation, the Ru(II)/Ru(II) complex 6(2+) exhibits dual emission in liquid solution from two independently emitting (3)MLCT states localized at the two remote [Ru(tpy)] fragments. No equilibration via Dexter energy transfer is possible due to their large distance and short excited state lifetimes.

[Cr(ddpd)2](3+): A Molecular, Water-Soluble, Highly NIR-Emissive Ruby Analogue.

Bright, long-lived emission from first-row transition-metal complexes is very challenging to achieve. Herein, we present a new strategy relying on the rational tuning of energy levels. With the aid of the large N-Cr-N bite angle of the tridentate ligand ddpd (N,N'-dimethyl-N,N'-dipyridine-2-ylpyridine-2,6-diamine) and its strong σ-donating capabilities, a very large ligand-field splitting could be introduced in the chromium(III) complex [Cr(ddpd)2](3+), that shifts the deactivating and photoreactive (4)T2 state well above the emitting (2)E state. Prevention of back-intersystem crossing from the (2)E to the (4)T2 state enables exceptionally high near-infrared phosphorescence quantum yields and lifetimes for this 3d metal complex. The complex [Cr(ddpd)2](BF4)3 is highly water-soluble and very stable towards thermal and photo-induced substitution reactions and can be used for fluorescence intensity- and lifetime-based oxygen sensing in the NIR.

Understanding the Excited State Behavior of Cyclometalated Bis(tridentate)ruthenium(II) Complexes: A Combined Experimental and Theoretical Study.

The synthesis and characterization of the donor-acceptor substituted cyclometalated ruthenium(II) polypyridine complex isomers [Ru(dpb-NHCOMe)(tpy-COOEt)](PF6) 1(PF6) and [Ru(dpb-COOEt)(tpy-NHCOMe)](PF6) 2(PF6) (dpbH = 1,3-dipyridin-2-ylbenzene, tpy = 2,2';6,2"-terpyridine) with inverted functional group pattern are described. A combination of resonance Raman spectroscopic and computational techniques shows that all intense visible range absorption bands arise from mixed Ru → tpy/Ru → dpb metal-to-ligand charge transfer (MLCT) excitations. 2(PF6) is weakly phosphorescent at room temperature in fluid solution and strongly emissive at 77 K in solid butyronitrile matrix, which is typical for ruthenium(II) polypyridine complexes. Density functional theory calculations revealed that the weak emission of 2(PF6) arises from a (3)MLCT state that is efficiently thermally depopulated via metal-centered ((3)MC) excited states. The activation barrier for the deactivation process was estimated experimentally from variable-temperature emission spectroscopic measurements as 11 kJ mol(-1). In contrast, 1(PF6) is nonemissive at room temperature in fluid solution and at 77 K in solid butyronitrile matrix. Examination of the electronic excited states of 1(PF6) revealed a ligand-to-ligand charge-transfer ((3)LL'CT) as lowest-energy triplet state due to the very strong push-pull effect across the metal center. Because of the orthogonality of the participating ligands, emission from the (3)LL'CT is symmetry-forbidden. Hence, in this type of complex a stronger push-pull effect does not increase the phosphorescence quantum yields but completely quenches the emission.

Dual emission and excited-state mixed-valence in a quasi-symmetric dinuclear Ru-Ru complex.

The synthesis and characterization of the new dinuclear dipeptide [(EtOOC-tpy)Ru(tpy-NHCO-tpy)Ru(tpy-NHCOCH3)](4+) 3(4+) of the bis(terpyridine)ruthenium amino acid [(HOOC-tpy)Ru(tpy-NH2)](2+) 1(2+) are described, and the properties of the dipeptide are compared to those of the mononuclear complex [(EtOOC-tpy)Ru(tpy-NHCOCH3)](2+) 4(2+) carrying the same functional groups. 3(4+) is designed to serve a high electronic similarity of the two ruthenium sites despite the intrinsic asymmetry arising from the amide bridge. This is confirmed via UV-vis absorption and NMR spectroscopy as well as cyclic voltammetry. 4(2+) and 3(4+) are emissive at room temperature, as expected. Moreover, 3(4+) exhibits dual emission from two different triplet states with different energies and lifetimes at room temperature. This is ascribed to the presence of a unique thermal equilibrium between coexisting [Ru(II)(tpy-NHCO-tpy(·-))Ru(III)] and [Ru(III)(tpy-NHCO-tpy(·-))Ru(II)] states leading to an unprecedented excited-state Ru(II)Ru(III) mixed-valent system via the radical anion bridge tpy-NHCO-tpy(·-). The mixed-valent cation 3(5+), on the other hand, shows no measurable interaction of the Ru(II)Ru(III) centers via the neutral bridge tpy-NHCO-tpy (Robin-Day class I). Reduction of 3(4+) to the radical cation 3(3+) by decamethylcobaltocene is bridge-centered as evidenced by rapid-freeze electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy. Interestingly, all attempts to observe 3(3+) via NMR and UV-vis absorption spectroscopy only led to the detection of the diamagnetic complex 3-H(3+) in which the bridging amide is deprotonated. Hence 3-H(3+) (and 4-H(+)) appear to reduce protons to dihydrogen. The ease of single and double deprotonation of 4(2+) and 3(4+) to 4-H(+), 3-H(3+), and 3-2H(2+) was demonstrated using a strong base and was studied using NMR and UV-vis absorption spectroscopies. The equilibrating excited triplet states of 3(4+) are reductively quenched by N,N-dimethylaniline assisted by hydrogen bonding to the bridging amide.

Chloro- and phenoxy-phosphines in frustrated Lewis pair additions to alkynes.

The reaction of tBu(C(6)H(4)O(2))P, with the borane B(C(6)F(5))(3) gives rise to NMR data consistent with the formation of the classical Lewis acid-base adduct tBu(C(6)H(4)O(2))P(B(C(6)F(5))(3)) (1). In contrast, the NMR data for the corresponding reactions of tBu(C(20)H(12)O(2))P and Cl(C(20)H(12)O(2))P with B(C(6)F(5))(3) were consistent with the presence of equilibria between free phosphine and borane and the corresponding adducts. Nonetheless, in each case, the adducts tBu(C(20)H(12)O(2))P(B(C(6)F(5))(3)) (2) and Cl(C(20)H(12)O(2))P(B(C(6)F(5))(3)) (3) were isolable. The species 1 reacts with PhCCH to give the new species tBu(C(6)H(4)O(2))P(Ph)C=CHB(C(6)F(5))(3) (4) in near quantitative yield. In an analogous fashion, the addition of PhCCH to solutions of the phosphines tBu(C(20)H(12)O(2))P, tBuPCl(2) and (C(6)H(3)(2,4-tBu(2))O)(3)P each with an equivalent of B(C(6)F(5))(3) gave rise to L(Ph)C=CHB(C(6)F(5))(3) (L = tBu(C(20)H(12)O(2))P 5, tBuPCl(2)6 and (C(6)H(3)(2,4-tBu(2))O)(3)P 7). X-Ray data for 1, 2, 6 and 7 are presented. The implications of these findings are considered.

Ring openings of lactone and ring contractions of lactide by frustrated Lewis pairs.

While B(C(6)F(5))(3) forms the adducts (CH(2))(4)CO(2)B(C(6)F(5))(3)1 and (CHMeCO(2))(2)B(C(6)F(5))(3)7 with δ-valerolactone and lactide, the frustrated Lewis pairs derived from B(C(6)F(5))(3) and phosphine or N-bases react with lactone to effect ring opening affording zwitterionic species of the form L(CH(2))(4)CO(2)B(C(6)F(5))(3) (L = tBu(3)P 2, Cy(3)P 3, C(5)H(3)Me(3)N 4, PhNMe(2) 5, C(5)H(6)Me(4)NH 6) while reaction with rac-lactide results in ring contraction to give salts [LH][OCCHMeCO(2)(CMe)OB(C(6)F(5))(3)] (L = tBu(3)P 8, Cy(3)P 9, C(5)H(3)Me(2)N 10, C(5)H(6)Me(4)NH 11). The mechanistic implications of these reactions are discussed.