Interplay between intra- and interligand charge transfer with variation of the axial N-heterocyclic ligand in osmium(II) pyridylpyrazolate complexes: extensive color tuning by phosphorescent solvatochromism.
The rational design and syntheses of a new series of Os(II) complexes with formula [Os(fppz)(2)(CO)(L)] (1: L=4-dimethylaminopyridine; 2: L = pyridine; 3: L = 4,4'-bipyridine; 4: L = pyridazine; 5: L = 4-cyanopyridine), bearing two (2-pyridyl)pyrazolate ligands (fppz) together with one carbonyl and one N-heterocyclic ligand at the axial positions are reported. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies of, for example, 2 reveal a distorted octahedral geometry in which both fppz ligands reside in the equatorial plane with a trans configuration and adopt a bent arrangement at the metal center with a dihedral angle of approximately 23 degrees , while the carbonyl and pyridine ligands are located at the axial positions. Variation of the axial N-heterocyclic ligand leads to remarkable changes in the photophysical properties as the energy gap and hence the phosphorescence peak wavelength can be tuned. For complexes 1 and 2 the solvent-polarity-independent phosphorescence originates from a combination of intraligand (3)pi-pi* ((3)ILCT) and metal-to-ligand charge transfer transitions ((3)MLCT). In sharp contrast, as supported by cyclic voltammetry measurements and theoretical calculations, complexes 3--5 exhibit mainly ligand-to-ligand charge transfer (LLCT) transitions, resulting in a large dipolar change. The phosphorescence of complexes 3--5 thus exhibits a strong dependence on the polarity of the solvent, being shifted for example, from 560 (in C(6)H(12)) to 665 nm (in CH(3)CN) and from 603 (in C(6)H(12)) to 710 nm (in CH(3)CN) for complexes 3 and 5, respectively. The results clearly demonstrate that a simple, straightforward derivatization of the axial N-heterocyclic ligand drastically alters the excitation properties per se from intraligand charge transfer (ILCT) to LLCT transitions. The latter exhibit remarkable LLCT phosphorescence solvatochromism so that a broad range of color tunability can be achieved.
Li
Shih-Wen
SW
Department of Chemistry and Instrumentation Center, National Taiwan University, Taipei.
Cheng
Yi-Ming
YM
Yeh
Yu-Shan
YS
Hsu
Cheng-Chih
CC
Chou
Pi-Tai
PT
Peng
Shie-Ming
SM
Lee
Gene-Hsiang
GH
Tung
Yung-Liang
YL
Wu
Pei-Chi
PC
Chi
Yun
Y
Wu
Fang-Iy
FI
Shu
Ching-Fong
CF