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Five cationic iridium(III) complexes (1-5) were synthesized exploiting two triazole-based cyclometalating ligands, namely, 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1H-1,2,3-triazole (A) and the corresponding mesoionic carbene 1,3-dimethyl-4-phenyl-1H-1,2,3-triazol-5-yliclene (B). From the combination of these two ligands and the ancillary one, i.e., 4,4'-di-tert-butyl-2,2'-bipyridine (for 1-3) or tert-butyl isocyanide (for 4 and 5), not only the typical bis-heteroleptic complexes but also the much less explored tris-heteroleptic analogues (2 and 5) could be synthesized. The redox and emission properties of all of the complexes are effectively fine-tuned by the different ligands: (i) cyclometalating ligand A induces a stronger highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) stabilization compared to B and leads to complexes with progressively narrower HOMO-lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) and redox gaps, and lower emission energy; (ii) complexes 1-3, equipped with the bipyridine ancillary ligand, display fully reversible redox processes and emit from predominantly metal-to-ligand charge transfer (MLCT) states with high emission quantum yields, up to 60% in polymeric matrix; (iii) complexes 4 and 5, equipped with high-field isocyanide ligands, display irreversible redox processes and high-energy emission from strongly ligand-centered triplets with long emission lifetimes but relatively low quantum yields (below 6%, both in room-temperature solution and in solid state). This work demonstrates the versatility of phenyl-triazole derivatives as cyclometalating ligands with different chelation modes (i.e., CN and CC:) for the synthesis of photoactive iridium(III) complexes with highly tunable properties.

Energy issue in Italian

Cu(I) complexes and clusters are the largest class of compounds of relevant photochemical and photophysical interest based on a relatively abundant metal element. Interestingly, Nature has given an essential role to copper compounds in some biological systems, relying on their kinetic lability and versatile coordination environment. Some basic properties of Cu(I) and Cu(II) such as their coordination geometries and electronic levels are compared, pointing out the limited significance of Cu(II) compounds (d 9 configuration) in terms of photophysical properties. Well-established synthetic protocols are available to build up a variety of molecular and supramolecular architectures (e.g. catenanes, rotaxanes, knots, helices, dendrimers, cages, grids, racks, etc.) containing Cu(I)-based centers and exhibiting photo- and electroluminescence as well as light-induced intercomponent processes. By far the largest class of copper complexes investigated to date is that of Cu(I)-bisphenanthrolines ([Cu(NN)2]+) and recent progress in the rationalization of their metal-to-ligand charge-transfer (MLCT) absorption and luminescence properties are critically reviewed, pointing out the criteria by which it is now possible to successfully design highly emissive [Cu(NN)2]+ compounds, a rather elusive goal for a long time. To this end the development of spectroscopic techniques such as light-initiated time-resolved X-ray absorption spectroscopy (LITR-XAS) and femtosecond transient absorption have been rather fruitful since they have allowed us to firmly ground the indirect proofs of the molecular rearrangements following light absorption that had accumulated in the past 20 years. A substantial breakthrough towards highly emissive Cu(I) coordination compounds is constituted by heteroleptic Cu(I) complexes containing both N- and P-coordinating ligands ([Cu(NN)(PP)]+) which may exhibit luminescence quantum yields close to 30% in deaerated CH2Cl2 solution and have been successfully employed as active materials in OLED and LEC optoelectronic devices. Also copper clusters may exhibit luminescence bands of halide-to-metal charge transfer (XMCT) and/or cluster centered (CC) character and they are briefly reviewed along with miscellaneous Cu(I) compounds that recently appeared in the literature, which show luminescence bands ranging from the blue to the red spectral region.

A Eu-III complex, tris-dibenzoylmethane mono-1,10-phenanthroline-europium(III) [Eu(DBM)(3)(Phen)], can be easily adsorbed If in situ via hydrophobic interactions to single-walled carbon nanotube (SWNT) surfaces from a methanol solution. The Eu-III containing material has been comprehensively characterized via thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), UV-vis-NIR absorption and luminescence spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy (AFM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM)), Z-contrast scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) imaging, and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). The photophysical investigations revealed that the presence of a SWNT framework does not affect the lanthanide-centered luminescence stemming from the characteristic electronic transitions within the 4f shell of the Eu-III, ions. Such straightforward synthetic route leads to the preparation of luminescent SWNTs without significantly affecting the electronic and structural properties of the carbon framework, opening new possibilities of designing new classes of CNTs for biomedical applications.

Fullerene derivatives A-3PV and B-3PV in which an oligophenylenevinylene trimeric subunit (3PV) is attached to C60 through, respectively, a pyrrolidine or a pyrazoline ring have been prepared. The electrochemical and excited-state properties Of the multicomponent arrays A-3PV and B-3PV have been investigated in Solution using the related oligophenylenevinylene derivative 3PV, fullerenopyrrolidine A and fullerenopyrazoline B as reference Compounds. In A-3PV quantitative OPV --> C60 photoinduced singlet-singlet energy transfer has been observed. Population of the lowest fullerene singlet excited state is followed by nearly quantitative intersystem crossing to the lowest fullerene triplet excited state in CH2Cl2 and toluene. whereas OPV --> C60 electron transfer is able to compete significantly in the more polar solvent benzonitrile. In the case of B-3PV, the excited-state properties are more complex due to the electron donating ability of the pyrazoline ring. As observed for A-3PV, quantitative OPV --> C-60 photoinduced singlet-singlet energy transfer Occurs in B-3PV. However, in this case, the population of the lowest fullerene singlet excited state is followed by an efficient electron transfer from the pyrazoline ring in CH2Cl2 and benzonitrile. In B-3PV. studies of the dependence of photoinduced processes on solvent polarity. addition of acid. and temperature also reveal that this Compound can be considered as a fullerene-based molecular switch, the switchable parameters being the photoinduced processes. Finally, A-3PV and B-3PV have been tested as active materials in photovoltaic devices and the differences of light to energy conversion efficiencies found for the two compounds have been rationalised on the basis of their photophysical properties.

Poly(aryl ether) dendritic branches terminated with peripheral triethyleneglycol chains have been attached to C60. The resulting fullerodendrimers have been characterised by electrospray mass spectrometry (ESMS), which appears to be a particularly interesting analytical tool for the unambiguous structural assignment of such high molecular weight fullerene derivatives. Their photophysical properties have been systematically investigated in three solvents, namely toluene, dichloromethane, and acetonitrile. The changes observed in the photophysical properties along the series suggest an increasing interaction between the poly(aryl ether) dendritic wedges and the fullerene core, which brings about an increasing isolation of the central chromophore from the exterior. Finally, thanks to their high solubility, fullerodendrimers 1-4 have been easily incorporated in mesoporous silica glasses and preliminary measurements on the resulting doped samples have revealed efficient optical limiting properties.

Two novel cone calix[4]arene ligands 11a and 11b bearing two iminodiacetic chelating units and two C-6 or C substituted 2,2'-bipyridine chromophores in diametral position at the lower rim were synthesized. These ligands form complexes with lanthanide ions in methanol solution whose stability (4.5 < log K-ass < 6.2) depends on the substitution pattern (C-6 or C-5) of the 2,2'-bipyridine units. Contrary to that observed with other neutral calixarene ligands, the luminescence properties of the Eu3+ and Tb3+ complexes are not very much affected by the type of the 2,2'-bipyridine chromophore. Luminescence lifetimes (0.31 ms < tau < 1.1 ms) and quantum yields (0.017 < phi < 0.130) are higher for Terbium compared with the corresponding Europium complexes.

A two-component ligand system (1) containing 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-1,4,7-triacetic acid (DO3A) as the hosting unit for the lanthanide cations and an appended asymmetrically functionalized 1,10-phenanthroline (phen) as the chromophore was synthesized, The 1:1 complexes with Eu3+, Gd3+, Tb3+, and Yb3+ have been prepared and studied in aqueous solution. For Gd.1, a relaxivity value of 2.4 mM(-1) s(-1) has been measured at 20 MHz and 25degreesC, which indicates that there are no water molecules in the first coordination sphere of the metal ion. The analysis of high resolution H-1 NMR spectra of Yb.1 supports this view and suggests the direct involvement of the phen moiety in the coordination of the metal ion. For Eu.1 and Tb.1, the absorption and luminescence spectra, the overall luminescence efficiencies, and the metal-centered (MC) lifetimes were obtained; coordination features were also determined by comparing luminescence properties in water and deuterated water. For Eu.1 and Tb.1, the overall emission sensitization (se) process in air-equilibrated water was found to be notably effective with phi(se) = 0.21 and 0.11, respectively. A detailed study of the steps originating from light absorption at the phen unit and leading to MC sensitized emission was performed.

Five cationic iridium(III) complexes with fluorinated cyclometalating tetrazole ligands [Ir(dfptrz)2L]+, where Hdfptrz = 5-(2,4-difluorophenyl)-2-methyl-2H-tetrazole and L = 2,2′-bypiridine (1F), 4,4′-ditert-butyl-2,2′-bipyridine (2F), 1,10-phenantroline (3F), 4,4′-bis(dimethylamino)-2,2′-bipyridine (4F), and tert-butyl isocyanide (5F), were prepared following a one-pot synthetic strategy based on a bis-cyclometalated solvato complex obtained via silver(I)-assisted cyclometalation, which was then reacted with the proper ancillary ligand to get the targeted complexes. The X-ray crystal structures of 2F and 4F were determined, showing that the tetrazole ligands are in a trans arrangement with respect to the iridium center. Electrochemical and photophysical properties, along with density functional theory calculations, allowed a full rationalization of the electronic properties of 1F-5F. In acetonitrile solution at 298 K, complexes 1F-3F, equipped with bipyridine and phenanthroline ligands, exhibit strong vibronically structured luminescence bands in the blue region with photoluminescence quantum yields (PLQYs) in the range 56-76%. This behavior is radically different from the nonfluorinated analogues reported previously, which emits in the green region from 3MLCT excited states. 4F shows relatively strong emission (PLQY = 40%) of charge transfer character centered on the amino-bipyridine ancillary ligand, whereas the emission of 5F is very weak (PLQY = 0.6%), further blue-shifted and attributed to the lowest ligand-centered (3LC) triplet state of the tetrazolyl cyclometalated moiety. A similar photophysical behavior is observed in PMMA at 298 K, whereas in a 77 K matrix, all of the compounds are strong emitters. This novel fluorinated phenyl-tetrazole cyclometalating ligand provides the corresponding iridium(III) complexes with a combination of excited-state energy and redox potentials that make them very promising as photoredox catalysts.

Tetraphenylmethane appended with four pyridylpyridinium units works as a scaffold to self-assemble four ruthenium porphyrins in a tetrahedral shape-persistent giant architecture. The resulting supramolecular structure has been characterised in the solid state by X-ray single crystal analysis and in solution by various techniques. Multinuclear NMR spectroscopy confirms the 1 : 4 stoichiometry with the formation of a highly symmetric structure. The self-assembly process can be monitored by changes of the redox potentials, as well as by modifications in the visible absorption spectrum of the ruthenium porphyrin and by a complete quenching of both the bright fluorescence of the tetracationic scaffold and the weak phosphorescence of the ruthenium porphyrin. An ultrafast photoinduced electron transfer is responsible for this quenching process. The lifetime of the resulting charge separated state (800 ps) is about four times longer in the giant supramolecular structure compared to the model 1 : 1 complex formed by the ruthenium porphyrin and a single pyridylpyridinium unit. Electron delocalization over the tetrameric pyridinium structure is likely to be responsible for this effect.

A series of molecules in which 9H-carbazole (electron donor, D) and 2,2':6',2''-terpyridine (electron acceptor, A) are connected through rigid π-conjugated bridges (D-π-A systems) have been synthesized and their photophysical properties examined in detail, with the support of DFT calculations. The bridges are made of different sequences of ethynylene, phenylene, and anthracene groups. The synthetic strategies involve condensation of 2-acetylpyridine with the aromatic aldehyde moiety on different functionalized π-conjugated bridges and couplings with carbazole derivatives. The system incorporating anthracene in the bridge shows the typical absorption and emission fingerprints of this polycyclic hydrocarbon. The other systems have HOMOs and LUMOs centred, respectively, over the carbazole and the bridge and exhibit solvatochromic charge-transfer (CT) luminescence with high photoluminescence yield up to 70 %, except when an ethynylene unit is directly attached to the carbazole ring, due to a trans-bent non-emissive π-σ* excited state.

The electronic and structural properties of ten heteroleptic [Cu(NN)(PP)]+ complexes have been investigated. NN indicates 1,10-phenanthroline (phen) or 4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline (Bphen); each of these ligands is combined with five PP bis-phosphine chelators, i.e., bis(diphenylphosphino)methane (dppm), 1,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)ethane (dppe), 1,3-bis(diphenylphosphino)propane (dppp), 1,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)benzene (dppb), and bis[(2-diphenylphosphino)phenyl] ether (POP). All complexes are mononuclear, apart from those based on dppm, which are dinuclear. Experimental data - also taken from the literature and including electrochemical properties, X-ray crystal structures, UV-vis absorption spectra in CH2Cl2, luminescence spectra and lifetimes in solution, in PMMA, and as powders - have been rationalized with the support of density functional theory calculations. Temperature dependent studies (78-358 K) have been performed for selected complexes to assess thermally activated delayed fluorescence. The main findings are (i) dependence of the ground-state geometry on the crystallization conditions, with the same complex often yielding different crystal structures; (ii) simple model compounds with imposed C2v symmetry ([Cu(phen)(PX3)2]+ X = H or CH3) are capable of modeling structural parameters as a function of the P-Cu-P bite angle, which plays a key role in dictating the overall structure of [Cu(NN)(PP)]+ complexes; (iii) as the P-Cu-P angle increases, the energy of the metal-to-ligand charge transfer absorption bands linearly increases; (iv) the former correlation does not hold for emission spectra, which are red-shifted for the weaker luminophores; (v) the larger the number of intramolecular π-interactions within the complex in the ground state, the higher the luminescence quantum yield, underpinning a geometry locking effect that limits the structural flattening of the excited state. This work provides a general framework to rationalize the structure-property relationships of [Cu(NN)(PP)]+, a class of compounds of increasing relevance for electroluminescent devices, photoredox catalysis, and solar-to-fuels conversion, which so far have been investigated in an unsystematic fashion, eluding a comprehensive understanding. © Copyright 2018 American Chemical Society.

A EuIII complex, tris-dibenzoylmethane mono-1,10-phenanthroline- europium(III) [Eu(DBM)3(Phen)], can be easily adsorbed in situ via hydrophobic interactions to single-walled carbon nanotube (SWNT) surfaces from a methanol solution. The EuIII containing material has been comprehensively characterized via thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), UV-vis-NIR absorption and luminescence spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy (AFM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM)), Z-contrast scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) imaging, and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). The photophysical investigations revealed that the presence of a SWNT framework does not affect the lanthanide-centered luminescence stemming from the characteristic electronic transitions within the 4f shell of the EuIII ions. Such straightforward synthetic route leads to the preparation of luminescent SWNTs without significantly affecting the electronic and structural properties of the carbon framework, opening new possibilities of designing new classes of CNTs for biomedical applications.

Shining treasure: Like treasure safeguarded in a chest, a tris-hexafluoro acetylacetonate Eu complex was encapsulated inside MWCNTs to preserve its luminescent output (see figure). These structures could open the way to novel luminescent hybrid materials with potential applications in biological and materials sciences.

The self-assembly and self-organization behavior of chromophoric acetylenic scaffolds bearing 2,6-bis(acetylamino) pyridine (1, 2) or uracyl-type (3-9) terminal groups has been investigated by photophysical and microscopic methods. Systematic absorption and luminescence studies show that 1 and 2, thanks to a combination of solvophilic/solvophobic forces and pi-pi stacking interactions, undergo self-organization in apolar solvents (i.e., cyclohexane) and form spherical nanoparticles, as evidenced by wide-field optical microscopy, TEM, and AFM analysis. For the longer molecular module, 2, a more uniform size distribution is found (80-200 nm) compared to 1 (20-1000 nm). Temperature scans in the range 283-353 K show that the self-organized nanoparticles are reversibly formed and destroyed, being stable at lower temperatures. Molecular modules 1 and 2 were then thoroughly mixed with the complementary triply hydrogen-bonding units 3-9. Depending on the specific geometrical structure of 3-9, different nanostructures are evidenced by microscopic investigations. Combination of modules 1 or 2 with 3, which bears only one terminal uracyl unit, leads to the formation of vesicular structures; instead, when 1 is combined with bis-uracyl derivative 4 or 5, a structural evolution from nanoparticles to nanowires is observed. The length of the wires obtained by mixing 1 and 4 or 1 and 5 can be controlled by addition of 3, which prompts transformation of the wires into shorter rods. The replacement of linear system 5 with the related angular modules 6 and 7 enables formation of helical nanostructures, unambiguously evidenced by AFM. Finally, thermally induced self-assembly was studied in parallel with modules 8 and 9, in which the uracyl recognition sites are protected with tert-butyloxycarbonyl (BOC) groups. This strategy allows further control of the self-assembly/self-organization process by temperature, since the BOC group is completely removed on heating. Microscopy studies show that the BOC-protected ditopic modules 8 self-assemble and self-organize with 1 into ordered linear nanostructures, whereas BOC-protected tritopic system 9 gives rise to extended domains of circular nano-objects in combination with 1.