The photophysical and electrochemical properties of the novel complexes [Ir(ppy)(2)(5-X-1,10-phen)][PF(6)] (ppy = 2-phenylpyridine, phen = phenanthroline, X = NMe(2), NO(2)), [Ir(pq)(2)(5-X-1,10-phen)][PF(6)] (pq = 2-phenylquinoline, X = H, Me, NMe(2), NO(2)), [Ir(ppy)2(4-Me,7-Me-1,10-phen)][PF(6)], [Ir(ppy)2(5-Me,6-Me-1,10-phen)][PF(6)], [Ir(ppy)(2)(2-Me,9-Me-1,10-phen)][PF(6)], and [Ir(pq)2(4-Ph,7-Ph-1,10-phen)][PF(6)] have been investigated and compared with those of the known reference complexes [Ir(ppy)(2)(4-Me or 5-H or 5-Me-1,10-phen)][PF(6)] and [Ir(ppy)(2)(4-Ph,7-Ph-1,10-phen)][PF(6)], showing how the nature and number of the phenanthroline substituents tune the color of the emission, its quantum yield, and the emission lifetime. It turns out that the quantum yield is strongly dependent on the nonradiative decay. The geometry, ground state, electronic structure, and excited electronic states of the investigated complexes have been calculated on the basis of density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent DFT approaches, thus substantiating the electrochemical measurements and providing insight into the electronic origin of the absorption spectra and of the lowest excited states involved in the light emission process. These results provide useful guidelines for further tailoring of the photophysical properties of ionic Ir(III) complexes.

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Optical and electrochemical characterizations are carried out in conjunction with first-principles calculations on pure and N-doped titania nanocrystals. These are prepared in laboratory with initial doping concentrations of triethylamine in the range of 0.1-0.5 N/Ti molar ratio. Diffuse reflectance UV-vis spectra of N-doped samples present a significant absorption in the visible region. The flatband potential (E fb ) of pure and nitrogen-doped TiO 2 (-0.6 ( 0.2 V vs NHE) is determined by impedance spectroscopy (Mott-Schottky plots) and the quasi-Fermi level, n E F * (-0.67V vs NHE) by photovoltage measurements as a function of the suspension pH in the presence of an electrochemical probe (methylviologen, MV 2þ ). Theoretical density of electronic states calculations, where several N doping versus vacancy combinations are taken into consideration, together with the optical and electrochemical experiments allow us to draw a detailed picture of the electronic features of the doped samples.

The mechanism of dissociative electron transfer (ET) to a series of organic chlorides has been investigated both at an inert electrode and at a catalytic surface such as Ag; electrocatalysis is important only when breaking of the carbon-halogen bond is concerted with the ET.

The reductive cleavage of a series of organic halides, including both aromatic and aliphatic compounds, has been investigated in acetonitrile at glassy carbon and silver electrodes. Ag exhibits extraordinary electrocatalytic activities for the reduction of most of the investigated halides. During the reductive cleavage of a carbon-halogen bond, electron transfer (ET) and bond breaking may occur either in a single step or in two distinct steps. The compounds examined in this study are representative of both dissociative electron transfer (DET) mechanisms. In general a link between the DET mechanism and electrocatalysis at Ag is observed for the whole set of data. There is no catalysis at all when the ET involves a substituent that gives a stable radical anion. Furthermore, there is no catalysis for all aromatic chlorides. Instead, a remarkable electrocatalysis is observed for all compounds undergoing a concerted DET mechanism, regardless of the nature of the halogen atom.