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We report molecular designing strategies to enhance the effective visible-light absorption of cyclometalated Ir(III) complexes. Cationic cyclometalated Ir(III) complexes were prepared in which boron-dipyrromethene (Bodipy) units were attached to the 2,2'-bipyridine (bpy) ligand via -C≡C- bonds at either the meso-phenyl (Ir-2) or 2 position of the π core of Bodipy (Ir-3). For the first time the effect of π conjugating (Ir-3) or tethering (Ir-2) of a light-harvesting chromophore to the coordination center on the photophysical properties was compared in detail. Ir(ppy)2(bpy) (Ir-1; ppy = 2-phenylpyridine) was used as model complex, which gives the typical weak absorption in visible range (ε < 4790 M(-1) cm(-1) in region > 400 nm). Ir-2 and Ir-3 showed much stronger absorption in the visible range (ε = 71,400 M(-1) cm(-1) at 499 nm and 83,000 M(-1) cm(-1) at 527 nm, respectively). Room-temperature phosphorescence was only observed for Ir-1 (λ(em) = 590 nm) and Ir-3 (λ(em) = 742 nm). Ir-3 gives RT phosphorescence of the Bodipy unit. On the basis of the 77 K emission spectra, nanosecond transient absorption spectra, and spin density analysis, we proposed that Bodipy-localized long-lived triplet excited states were populated for Ir-2 (τT = 23.7 μs) and Ir-3 (87.2 μs). Ir-1 gives a much shorter triplet-state lifetime (0.35 μs). Complexes were used as singlet oxygen ((1)O2) photosensitizers in photooxidation. The (1)O2 quantum yield of Ir-3 (ΦΔ = 0.97) is ca. 2-fold of Ir-2 (ΦΔ = 0.52). Complexes were also used as triplet photosensitizer for TTA upconversion; upconversion quantum yields of 1.2% and 2.8% were observed for Ir-2 and Ir-3, respectively. Our results proved that the strong absorption of visible light of Ir-2 failed to enhance production of a triplet excited state. These results are useful for designing transition metal complexes that show effective strong visible-light absorption and long-lived triplet excited states, which can be used as ideal triplet photosensitizers in photocatalysis and TTA upconversion.

Naphthalenediimide (NDI) was connected to the ligand of a cyclometalated Ir(III) complex (Ir-1) via a C≡C triple bond to enhance the absorption in the visible region and to access long-lived triplet excited states. Ir(ppy)2(bpy)[PF6] (Ir-2, ppy = 2-phenylpyridine and bpy = 2,2'-bipyridine) was used as a model complex. The photophysical properties of the complexes were studied with steady state and time-resolved spectroscopy. Ir-1 shows strong absorption in the visible region (ε = 11,000 M(-1) cm(-1) at 542 nm) and in comparison Ir-2 shows typically weak absorption in the visible region (ε < 3000 M(-1) cm(-1) above 400 nm). Room temperature near IR emission at 732 nm (Φ(P) = 0.1%) was observed for Ir-1, which is attributed to the NDI localized emissive triplet excited state, by transient absorption spectra and DFT calculations on the spin density surface. The lifetime of the NDI-localized triplet excited state is up to 130.0 μs, which is rarely reported for Ir(III) complexes. In comparison, Ir-2 shows phosphorescence at 578 nm and the triplet state lifetime is a typical value of 0.3 μs. The complexes were used as triplet photosensitizers for triplet-triplet annihilation (TTA) upconversion and an upconversion quantum yield of 6.7% was observed with Ir-1. No upconversion was observed with Ir-2 as the triplet photosensitizer at the same experimental conditions.

Cyclometalated IrIII complexes with acetylide ppy and bpy ligands were prepared (ppy=2-phenylpyridine, bpy=2,2′-bipyridine) in which naphthal ( Ir-2) and naphthalimide (NI) were attached onto the ppy ( Ir-3) and bpy ligands ( Ir-4) through acetylide bonds. [Ir(ppy)3] ( Ir-1) was also prepared as a model complex. Room-temperature phosphorescence was observed for the complexes; both neutral and cationic complexes Ir-3 and Ir-4 showed strong absorption in the visible range ( ε=39600 M−1 cm−1 at 402 nm and ε=25100 M−1 cm−1 at 404 nm, respectively), long-lived triplet excited states ( τT=9.30 μs and 16.45 μs) and room-temperature red emission ( λem=640 nm, Φp=1.4 % and λem=627 nm, Φp=0.3 %; cf. Ir-1: ε=16600 M−1 cm−1 at 382 nm, τem=1.16 μs, Φp=72.6 %). Ir-3 was strongly phosphorescent in non-polar solvent (i.e., toluene), but the emission was completely quenched in polar solvents (MeCN). Ir-4 gave an opposite response to the solvent polarity, that is, stronger phosphorescence in polar solvents than in non-polar solvents. Emission of Ir-1 and Ir-2 was not solvent-polarity-dependent. The T1 excited states of Ir-2, Ir-3, and Ir-4 were identified as mainly intraligand triplet excited states (3IL) by their small thermally induced Stokes shifts (Δ Es), nanosecond time-resolved transient difference absorption spectroscopy, and spin-density analysis. The complexes were used as triplet photosensitizers for triplet-triplet annihilation (TTA) upconversion and quantum yields of 7.1 % and 14.4 % were observed for Ir-2 and Ir-3, respectively, whereas the upconversion was negligible for Ir-1 and Ir-4. These results will be useful for designing visible-light-harvesting transition-metal complexes and for their applications as triplet photosensitizers for photocatalysis, photovoltaics, TTA upconversion, etc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]