No abstract

The luminescence properties of chemically prepared gold nanoclusters, each composed of a 28-atom core and a glutathione (GSH) adsorbate layer consisting of 16 molecules, were investigated. These clusters show a distinct absorption onset at 1.3 eV corresponding to the opening of an electronic gap within the conduction band (HOMO-LUMO gap). Here we report on the radiative properties of these molecular-like gold clusters. By using a combination of different detectors with sensitivities in the visible to the infrared (2.0−0.8 eV), a broad luminescence extending over this entire spectral range was observed. Our results further suggest that the luminescence can be separated into two bands with maxima around 1.5 and 1.15 eV indicating that radiative recombination between the ground state and two distinctively different excited states takes place. The origin of the observed luminescence bands is discussed using a solid state as well as a molecular model for the electronic structure and relaxation of the clusters. The total quantum yield of the luminescence as measured at ambient temperature was approximated to be about (3.5 ± 1.0) × 10-3.

Pyrene derivatives substituted at the 2- and 2,7-positions are shown to display a set of photophysical properties different from those of derivatives substituted at the 1-position. It was found that, in the 2- and 2,7-derivatives, there was little influence on the S(2) ← S(0) excitation, which is described as "pyrene-like", and a strong influence on the S(1) ← S(0) excitation, which is described as "substituent-influenced". In contrast, the 1-substituted derivatives display a strong influence on both the S(1) ← S(0) and the S(2) ← S(0) excitations. These observations are rationalized by considering the nature of the orbitals involved in the transitions. The existence of a nodal plane passing through the 2- and 7-positions, perpendicular to the molecular plane in the HOMO and LUMO of pyrene, largely accounts for the different behavior of derivatives substituted at the 2- and 2,7-positions. Herein, we report the photophysical properties of a series of 2-R-pyrenes {R = C(3)H(6)CO(2)H (1), Bpin (2; pin = OCMe(2)CMe(2)O), OC(3)H(6)CO(2)H (3), O(CH(2))(12)Br (4), C≡CPh (5), C(6)H(4)-4-CO(2)Me (6), C(6)H(4)-4-B(Mes)(2) (7), B(Mes)(2) (8)} and 2,7-R(2)-pyrenes {R = Bpin (9), OH (10), C≡C(TMS) (11), C≡CPh (12), C≡C-C(6)H(4)-4-B(Mes)(2) (13), C≡C-C(6)H(4)-4-NMe(2) (14), C(6)H(4)-4-CO(2)C(8)H(17) (15), N(Ph)-C(6)H(4)-4-OMe (16)} whose syntheses are reported elsewhere. Furthermore, we compare their properties to those of several related 1-R-pyrene derivatives {R = C(3)H(6)CO(2)H (17), Bpin (18), C≡CPh (19), C(6)H(4)-4-B(Mes)(2) (20), B(Mes)(2) (21)}. For all derivatives, modest (0.19) to high (0.93) fluorescence quantum yields were observed. For the 2- and 2,7-derivatives, fluorescence lifetimes exceeding 16 ns were measured, with most being ca. 50-80 ns. The 4-(pyren-2-yl)butyric acid derivative (1) has a long fluorescence lifetime of 622 ns, significantly longer than that of the commercially available 4-(pyren-1-yl)butyric acid (17). In addition to measurements of absorption and emission spectra and fluorescence quantum yields and lifetimes, time-dependent density functional theory calculations using the B3LYP and CAM-B3LYP functionals were also performed. A comparison of experimental and theoretically calculated wavelengths shows that both functionals were able to reproduce the trend in wavelengths observed experimentally.

The remarkable luminescence properties of the platinum(II) complex of 1,3-di(2-pyridyl)benzene, acting as a terdentate N=C=N-coordinating ligand cyclometalated at C2 of the benzene ring ([PtL(1)Cl]), have been investigated, together with those of two new 5-substituted analogues [PtL(2)Cl] and [PtL(3)Cl] [HL(2) = methyl-3,5-di(2-pyridyl)benzoate; HL(3) = 3,5-di(2-pyridyl)toluene]. All three complexes are intense emitters in degassed solution at 298 K (lambda(max) 480-580 nm; phi(lum) = 0.60, 0.58, and 0.68 in CH(2)Cl(2)), displaying highly structured emission spectra in dilute solution, with lifetimes in the microsecond range (7.2, 8.0, and 7.8 micros). On the basis of the very small Stokes shift, the highly structured profiles, and the relatively long lifetimes, the emission is attributed to an excited state of primarily (3)pi-pi character. At concentrations >1 x 10(-)(5) M, structureless excimer emission centered at ca. 700 nm is observed. The X-ray crystal structure of [PtL(2)Cl] is also reported.

A new and synthetically versatile strategy has been developed for the phosphorescence color tuning of cyclometalated iridium phosphors by simple tailoring of the phenyl ring of ppy (Hppy = 2‐phenylpyridine) with various main‐group moieties in [Ir(ppy‐X)2(acac)] (X = B(Mes)2, SiPh3, GePh3, NPh2, POPh2, OPh, SPh, SO2Ph). This can be achieved by shifting the charge‐transfer character from the pyridyl groups in some traditional iridium ppy‐type complexes to the electron‐withdrawing main‐group moieties and these assignments were supported by theoretical calculations. This new color tuning strategy in IrIII‐based triplet emitters using electron‐withdrawing main‐group moieties provides access to IrIII phosphors with improved electron injection/electron transporting features essential for highly efficient, color‐switchable organic light‐emitting diodes (OLEDs). The present work furnished OLED colors spanning from bluish‐green to red (505–609 nm) with high electroluminescence efficiencies which have great potential for application in multicolor displays. The maximum external quantum efficiency of 9.4%, luminance efficiency of 10.3 cd A−1 and power efficiency of 5.0 lm W−1 for the red OLED (X = B(Mes)2), 11.1%, 35.0 cd A−1, and 26.8 lm W−1 for the bluish‐green device (X = OPh), 10.3%, 36.9 cd A−1, and 28.6 lm W−1 for the bright green device (X = NPh2) as well as 10.7%, 35.1 cd A−1, and 23.1 lm W−1 for the yellow‐emitting device (X = SO2Ph) can be obtained.

The nature of the ternary complexes formed in aqueous media at ambient pH on reversible binding of acetate, lactate, citrate, and selected amino acids and peptides to chiral diaqua europium, gadolinium, or ytterbium cationic complexes has been examined. Crystal structures of the chelated ytterbium acetate and lactate complexes have been defined in which the carboxylate oxygen occupies an "equatorial" site in the nine-coordinate adduct. The zwitterionic adduct of the citrate anion with [EuL1] was similar to the chelated lactate structure, with a 5-ring chelate involving the apical 3-hydroxy group and the alpha-carboxylate. Analysis of Eu and Yb emission CD spectra and lifetimes (H2O and D2O) for each ternary complex, in conjunction with 1H NMR analyses of Eu/Yb systems and 17O NMR and relaxometric studies of the Gd analogues, suggests that carbonate, oxalate, and malonate each form a chelated (q = 0) square-antiprismatic complex in which the dipolar NMR paramagnetic shift (Yb, Eu) and the emission circular polarization (gem for Eu) are primarily determined by the polarizability of the axial ligand. The ternary complexes with hydrogen phosphate, with fluoride, and with Phe, His, and Ser at pH 6 are suggested to be monoaqua systems with Eu/Gd with an apical bound water molecule. However, for the ternary complexes of simple amino acids with [YbL1]3+, the enhanced charge demand favors a chelate structure with the amine N in an apical position. Crystal structures of the Gly and Ser adducts confirm this. In peptides and proteins (e.g. albumin) containing Glu or Asp residues, the more basic side chain carboxylate may chelate to the Ln ion, displacing both waters.

We demonstrate that absolute measurements of the photoluminescence quantum yield of solutions can be made using an integrating sphere and a conventional fluorimeter. With this method the need for measurements against a luminescence standard is overcome. The sphere is mounted inside a commercial fluorimeter, which gives flexibility in excitation and emission wavelength ranges. A number of compounds have been investigated and the results are compared to literature values and data obtained using a comparative method.

mg, 0.2 mmol) was dissolved in refluxing 1-pentanol (15 ml). Zinc acetate dihydrate (50 mg, excess) was added and reflux continued for 30 minutes. The solvent was removed under reduced pressure and the residue chromatographed on silica gel (eluent: petroleum ether (b.p. 40-60 ºC)-THF 1:1). The green fraction was separated and an oily blue material was precipitated from THF-MeOH (190 mg, 74 %). m.p.