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We present the synthesis and characterization of a series of four fluorescent Sn(IV) Schiff base complexes, which also possess long-lived triplet excited states. The complexes absorb visible light (λmax = 420 to 462 nm) and the optical properties are easily tunable without laborious synthetic elaboration. The triplet excited states are not luminescent, but can be observed and followed using nanosecond transient absorption spectroscopy. The lifetimes of the triplet excited states are on the order of 500 µs-10 ms in PMMA matrices. The triplet state energies were estimated via energy transfer reactions with a series of organic triplet acceptors. In addition, the photoexcited complexes react with electron donors and acceptors in solution. These results demonstrate the potential for the development of photosensitizers based on main group elements with high spin orbit coupling constants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Irradiation of [Ru(bpy)2(bpSOp)](PF6)2 (where bpy is 2,2'-bipyridine and bpSOp is 1,3-bis(phenylsulfinyl)-propane) results in the formation of two new isomers, namely the S,O- and O,O-bonded species. The crystal structure of the bis-thioether and bis-sulfoxide complexes are reported. NMR spectroscopy of the bis-thioether complex in solution is consistent with the molecular structure determined by diffraction methods. Further, NMR spectroscopy of the bis-sulfoxide complex reveals two conformers in solution, one that is consistent with the solid state structure and a second conformer showing distortion in the aliphatic portion of the chelate ring. Time-resolved visible absorption spectroscopy reveals isomerization time constants of 91 ps in dichloroethane (DCE) and 229 ps in propylene carbonate (PC). Aggregate isomerization quantum yields of 0.57 and 0.42 have been determined in DCE and in PC, respectively. The kinetics of the thermal reversion from the O,O- to S,O-bonded isomer are strongly solvent dependent, occurring with rates of 2.41 × 10-3 and 4.39 × 10-5 s-1 in DCE, and 4.68 × 10-4 and 9.79 × 10-6 s-1 in PC. The two kinetic components are assigned to the two isomers identified in solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]