The ligand dipyrido[3,2-a:2′,3′-c]phenazine (dppz) and its deuterated analogues, d4-dppz, d6-dppz, d10-dppz, and [ReCl(CO)3] complexes with these ligands have been synthesized. Using DFT calculations it is possible to calculate a geometry of the ligand such that it matches the crystallographic data for a variety of dppz complexes. B3LYP/6-31G(d) frequency calculations correspond closely to the experimental IR and Raman data. Analysis of the calculated normal modes of vibration reveals the presence of a number of modes that are localized to the ring sections of the dppz-framework. Modes 79, 78, 77, 50, and 49, which lie at 1602, 1586, 1576, 1071, and 1034 cm-1, respectively, in the experimental spectra of dppz correspond to phenanthroline-based modes. Modes 68 and 67, lying at 1414 and 1402 cm-1 in dppz are phenazine-based vibrations. These provide an insight into the nature of the MLCT transitions for metal complexes with dppz. The preferential enhancement of phenanthroline-based modes in the resonance Raman spectra of these complexes strongly suggests the π* accepting MO is of phenanthroline character. DFT calculations (B3LYP/6-31G(d)) on the radical anion reveal the elongation of bonds about the pyrimidine ring. The frequency calculations also reveal significant changes in the vibrational spectra for dppz•- from the neutral ligand. Experimental resonance Raman data for the electrochemically reduced [ReCl(CO)3(dppz)]- and the deuterated analogues show distinct isotope shifts that may be correlated to results obtained from the calculations. The characteristic bands observed in these spectra are phenanthroline-based. They may be correlated with time-resolved resonance Raman spectra of Ru(II) and Re(I) complexes.

A series of bridging ligands, dipyrido[2,3-a:3',2'-c]phenazine (ppb), dipyrido[2,3-a:3',2'-c]-6,7-dichlorophenazine (ppbCl2), and dipyrido[2,3-a:3',2'-c]-6,7-dimethylphenazine (ppbMe2), and their binuclear copper(I) complexes have been synthesized, and their spectral properties were measured. The single-crystal structure of the complex, [(PPh3)2Cu(mu-ppbCl2)Cu(PPh3)2](BF4)2 in the monoclinic space group P21/c, 18.2590(1), 21.1833(3), 23.2960(3) A with Z = 4 is reported. The copper(I) complexes are deeply colored through MLCT transitions in the visible region. The vibrational spectra of the ligands have been modeled using ab initio hybrid density functional theory (DFT) methods (B3LYP/6-31G(d)) and compared to experimental FT-Raman and IR data. The DFT calculations are used to interpret the resonance Raman spectra, and thus the electronic spectra, of the complexes. The preferential enhancement of modes associated with the phenanthroline section of the ligands with blue excitation (lambda(exc) = 457.9 nm) over phenazine-based modes with redder excitation (lambda(exc) = 514.5 and 632.8 nm) suggests the 2 MLCT transitions terminated on different unoccupied MOs are present under the visible absorption envelope. The radical anion species of the ligands are prepared by the electrochemical reduction of the binuclear copper(I) complexes; no evidence of dechelation prevalent in other copper(I) complexes is observed. The resonance Raman spectra of the reduced complexes are dramatically different from those of the parent species. Across the series common bands are observed at about 1590 and 1570 cm(-1) which do not shift with reduction but are altered in intensity. The normal-mode analysis of the radical anion species suggests that these normal modes primarily involve bond length distortions that are unaffected by reduction.