Photoredox chemistry with metal complexes as sensitizers and catalysts frequently relies on precious elements such as ruthenium or iridium. Over the past 5 years, important progress towards the use of complexes made from earth-abundant elements in photoredox catalysis has been made. This review summarizes the advances made with photoactive Cr , Fe , Cu , Zn , Zr , Mo , and U complexes in the context of synthetic organic photoredox chemistry using visible light as an energy input. Mechanistic considerations are combined with discussions of reaction types and scopes. Perspectives for the future of the field are discussed against the background of recent significant developments of new photoactive metal complexes made from earth-abundant elements.

Newly discovered tris(diisocyanide)molybdenum(0) complexes are Earth-abundant isoelectronic analogs of the well-known class of [Ru(-diimine) 3 ] 2+ compounds with long-lived 3 MLCT (metal-to-ligand charge transfer) excited states that lead to rich photophysics and photochemistry. Depending on ligand design, luminescence quantum yields up to 0.20 and microsecond excited state lifetimes are achieved in solution at room temperature, both significantly better than for [Ru(2,2'-bipyridine) 3 ] 2+. The excited Mo(0) complexes can induce chemical reactions that are thermodynamically too demanding for common precious metal based photosensitizers, including the widely employed fac-[Ir(2-phenylpyridine) 3 ] complex, as demonstrated on a series of light-driven aryl-aryl coupling reactions. The most robust Mo(0) complex exhibits stable photoluminescence and remains photoactive after continuous irradiation exceeding two months. Our comprehensive optical spectroscopic and photochemical study shows that Mo(0) complexes with diisocyanide chelate ligands constitute a new family of luminophores and photosensitizers, which is complementary to precious metal based 4d 6 and 5d 6 complexes and represents an alternative to non-emissive Fe(II) compounds. This is relevant in the greater context of sustainable photophysics and photochemistry, as well as for possible applications in lighting, sensing, and catalysis.

Precious metal complexes with the d 6 valence electron configuration often exhibit luminescent metal-to-ligand charge transfer (MLCT) excited states, which form the basis for many applications in lighting, sensing, solar cells, and synthetic photochemistry. Iron(II) has received much attention as a possible Earth-abundant alternative, but to date no iron(II) complex has been reported to show MLCT emission upon continuous-wave excitation. Manganese(I) has the same electron configuration as iron(II), but had typically been overlooked in the search for cheap MLCT luminophores until now. Here we report that isocyanide chelate ligands give access to air-stable manganese(I) complexes that exhibit MLCT luminescence in solution at room temperature. These compounds were successfully used as photosensitizers for energy-and electron-transfer reactions and were shown to promote the photoisomerization of trans-stilbene. The observable electron transfer photoreactivity occurred from the emissive MLCT state, whilst the triplet energy transfer photoreactivity originates from a ligand-centered 3 π-π* state.

Osmium­(II) polypyridines are a well-known class of complexes with luminescent metal-to-ligand charge-transfer (MLCT) excited states that are currently experiencing a revival due to their application potential in organic photoredox catalysis, triplet–triplet annihilation upconversion, and phototherapy. At the same time, there is increased interest in the development of photoactive complexes made from Earth-abundant rather than precious metals. Against this background, we present a homoleptic Mo(0) complex with a new diisocyanide ligand exhibiting different bite angles and a greater extent of π-conjugation than previously reported related chelates. This new design leads to deep red emission, which is unprecedented for homoleptic arylisocyanide complexes of group 6 metals. With a 3MLCT lifetime of 56 ns, an emission band maximum at 720 nm, and a photoluminescence quantum yield of 1.5% in deaerated toluene at room temperature, the photophysical properties are reminiscent of the prototypical [Os­(2,2′-bipyridine)3]2+ complex. Under 635 nm irradiation with a cw-laser, the new Mo(0) complex sensitizes triplet–triplet annihilation upconversion of 9,10-diphenylanthracene (DPA), resulting in delayed blue fluorescence with an anti-Stokes shift of 0.93 eV. The photorobustness of the Mo(0) complex and the upconversion quantum yield are high enough to generate a flux of upconverted light that can serve as a sufficiently potent irradiation source for a blue-light-driven photoisomerization reaction. These findings are relevant in the greater contexts of designing new luminophores and photosensitizers for use in red-light-driven photocatalysis, photochemical upconversion, light-harvesting, and phototherapy.

The donor-acceptor ligands 11-(4-diphenylaminophenyl)dipyrido[3,2-a:2',3'-c]phenazine (dppz-PhNPh2) and 11-(4-dimethylaminophenyl)dipyrido[3,2-a:2',3'-c]phenazine (dppz-PhNMe2), and their rhenium complexes, [Re(CO)3X] (X = Cl(-), py, 4-dimethylaminopyridine (dmap)), are reported. Crystal structures of the two ligands were obtained. The optical properties of the ligands and complexes are dominated by intraligand charge transfer (ILCT) transitions from the amine to the dppz moieties with λabs = 463 nm (ε = 13 100 M(-1) cm(-1)) for dppz-PhNMe2 and with λabs = 457 nm (ε = 16 900 M(-1) cm(-1)) for dppz-PhNPh2. This assignment is supported by CAM-B3LYP TD-DFT calculations. These ligands are strongly emissive in organic solvents and, consistent with the ILCT character, show strong solvatochromic behavior. Lippert-Mataga plots of the data are linear and yield Δμ values of 22 D for dppz-PhNPh2 and 20 D for dppz-PhNMe2. The rhenium(I) complexes are less emissive, and it is possible to measure resonance Raman spectra. These data show relative band intensities that are virtually unchanged from λexc = 351 to 532 nm, consistent with a single dominant transition in the visible region. Resonance Raman excitation profiles are solvent sensitive; these data are modeled using wavepacket theory yielding reorganization energies ranging from 1800 cm(-1) in toluene to 6900 cm(-1) in CH3CN. The excited state electronic absorption and infrared spectroscopy reveal the presence of dark excited states with nanosecond to microsecond lifetimes that are sensitive to the ancillary ligand on the rhenium. These dark states were assigned as phenazine-based (3)ILCT states by time-resolved infrared spectroscopy. Time-resolved infrared spectroscopy shows transient features in which Δν(CO) is approximately -7 cm(-1), consistent with a ligand-centered excited state. Evidence for two such states is seen in mid-infrared transient spectra.

The synthesis, optical characterization and computational modeling of seven benzo[c][1,2,5]thiadiazole (BTD) donor-acceptor dyes are reported. These dyes have been studied using electrochemical analysis, electronic absorption, emission, and Raman and resonance Raman spectroscopies coupled with various density functional theoretical approaches. Crystal structure geometries on a number of these compounds are also reported. The optical spectra are dominated by low energy charge-transfer states; this may be modulated by the coupling between donor and acceptor through variation in donor energy, variation of the donor-acceptor torsion angle, and incorporation of an insulating bridge. These modifications result in a perturbation of the excitation energy for this charge-transfer transition of up to ∼2000 cm(-1). Emission spectra exhibit significant solvatochromisim, with Lippert-Mataga analysis yielding Δμ between 8 and 33 D. Predicted λmax, ε, and Raman cross sections calculated by M06L, B3LYP, PBE0, M06, CAM-B3LYP, and ωB97XD DFT functionals were compared to experimental results and analyzed using multivariate analysis, which shows that hybrid functionals with 20-27% HF best predict ground state absorption, while long-range corrected functionals best predict molecular polarizabilities.

A series of Ru(II) 2,2'-bipyridine (bpy) complexes with an electron-accepting dipyrido[3,2-a:2',3'-c]phenazine (dppz) ligand coupled to an electron-donating triarylamine (TAA) group have been investigated. Systematic alteration of a bridging unit between the dppz and TAA allowed exploration into how communication between the donor and acceptor is perturbed by distance, as well as by steric and electronic effects. The effect of the bridging group on the electronic properties of the systems was characterized using a variety of spectroscopic methods, including Fourier transform-Raman (FT-Raman) spectroscopy, resonance Raman spectroscopy, and transient resonance Raman (TR) spectroscopy. These methods were used in conjunction with ground- and excited-state absorption spectroscopy, electrochemical studies, and DFT calculations. The ground-state electronic absorption spectra show distinct variation with the bridging group, with the wavelength observed for the lowest energy electronic transition ranging from 449 nm to 522 nm, accompanied by large changes in the molar absorptivity. The lowest-energy Franck-Condon state was determined to be intra-ligand charge transfer (ILCT) in nature for most compounds. The presence of higher-energy metal-to-ligand charge transfer (MLCT) Ru(II) → bpy and Ru(II) → dppz transitions was also confirmed via resonance Raman spectroscopy. The TR spectra showed characteristic dppz and TAA vibrations, indicating that the THEXI state formed was also ILCT in nature. Excited-state lifetime measurements reveal that the rate of decay is in accordance with the energy gap law and is not otherwise affected by the nature of the bridging unit.

A series of donor-acceptor compounds is reported in which the energy of the triarylamine donor is systematically tuned through para substitution with electron-donating methoxy and electron-withdrawing cyano groups. The acceptor units investigated are benzothiadiazole (btd), dipyridophenazine (dppz), and its [ReCl(CO)3(dppz)] complex. The effect of modulating donor energy on the electronic and photophysical properties is investigated using (1)H NMR spectroscopy, DFT calculations, electrochemistry, electronic absorption and emission spectroscopies, ground state and resonance Raman spectroscopy, and transient absorption spectroscopy. Qualitative correlations between the donor energy and the properties of interest are obtained using Hammett σ(+) constants. Methoxy and cyano groups are shown to destabilize and stabilize, respectively, the frontier molecular orbitals, with the HOMO affected more significantly than the LUMO, narrowing the HOMO-LUMO band gap as the substituent becomes more electron-donating-observable as a bathochromic shift in low-energy charge-transfer absorption bands. Charge-transfer emission bands are also dependent on the electron-donating/withdrawing nature of the substituent, and in combination with the highly solvatochromic nature of charge-transfer states, emission can be tuned to span the entire visible region.