side of the complex, as well as complexes without methyl
groups, show a mainly non radiative decay path, both in solution
and in the solid state.
6.94–7.10 ppm (m, 12H, arom.). 13C NMR in CDCl3: 151.90;
149.23; 139.47; 133.05; 132.02; 130.37; 129.01; 126.18;
123.55 ppm. ESI-MS: 481.0 N^NCuPPh3 ; 219.0 N^NCu+.
+
The phosphine ligands play a crucial role in stabilising the
complexes, as shown in thermal analysis. Triphenylphosphine is
the weakest among the ligands involved in this study and com-
plexes 3a–b are less stable as a consequence.
The combined effects of a sterically hindered bipyridyl ligand
and a rigid, strong coordinating diphosphine ligand results in
complexes with exceptional stability and a good quantum yield
of photoluminescence in the solid state. Such complexes are
particularly interesting for OLED and OLEC applications.
Elem. anal. %: C: 66.33 (calc. 66.48) H: 4.20 (calc. 4.61).
Complex 1b: H NMR in CDCl3: 8.26 (d, 2H, J = 7.9 Hz,
1
pyr.); 8.15 (d, 2H, J = 8.0 Hz, pyr.); 7.20–7.30 (m, 8H, arom.);
7.16 (t, 8H, J = 7.3 Hz, arom.); 7.00 (d, 2H, J = 7.7 Hz, pyr.);
6.90–6.99 (m, 10H, arom.); 6.69–6.75 ppm (m, 2H, arom.).
13C NMR in CDCl3: 158.32; 151.75; 150.85; 148.71; 134.39;
133.17; 133.05; 130.14; 128.86; 123.54; 21.44 ppm. ESI-MS:
784.9 M+; 600.9 Cu(P^P)+. Elem. anal. %: C: 65.61 (calc.
66.03); H: 4.11 (calc. 4.62); N: 3.21 (calc. 3.21).
1
Complex 2b: H NMR in CDCl3: 8.42 (d, 2H, J = 7.9 Hz,
pyr.); 7.79 (d, 2H, J = 7.8 Hz, pyr.); 7.62 (d, 2H, J = 7.9 Hz,
pyr.); 7.26 (t, 6H, J = 7.7 Hz, arom.); 7.12 (t, 10H, arom.);
6.82–6.94 (m, 8H, arom.); 6.45 (m, 2H, arom.); 2.55 (s, 6H,
CH3); 1.79 ppm (s, 6H, CH3). 13C NMR in CDCl3: 155.04;
151.79; 151.32; 148.08; 132.90; 129.99; 128.86; 126.98;
124.90; 124.12; 120.04; 36.25; 28.06; 21.44 ppm. ESI-MS:
824.9 M+; 640.9 Cu(P^P)+. Elem. anal. %: C: 67.68 (calc.
67.08); H: 4.40 (calc. 4.86); N 2.65 (calc. 3.07).
Experimental
Absorption spectra were recorded with a Perkin Elmer Lambda
650S UV-vis spectrophotometer. Emission spectra and lifetimes
were recorded with a Horiba Jobin Ivon Fluorolog 4 fluorimeter.
NMR spectra were recorded with a JEOL 400 MHz spectrometer
using the resonance peak of the solvent as an internal reference.
Luminescent quantum yields were measured in a 4 inch
Labsphere integrating sphere used in a Horiba Jobin Ivon Fluoro-
max 2 spectrophotometer, using the procedure described.22
Chemicals were purchased from Aldrich, with the highest
purity commercially available and used without further purifi-
cation. The complexes were prepared following the method pub-
lished by Min et al.1 A dichloromethane solution (10 mL) of the
bipyridyl ligand, (1 mmol) and the diphosphine ligand (1 mmol;
triphenylphosphine 2 mmol), was added drop-wise to a dichloro-
methane solution (10 mL) of tetrakis (acetonitrile) copper(I)
tetrafluoroborate (0.314 g; 1 mmol). The reaction was stirred for
one hour in air at room temperature. The reaction mixture was
filtered, concentrated to 5 mL and precipitated in diethyl ether–
hexanes mixtures. The process was repeated twice. The products
were filtered and allowed to dry in air. Yields: 1a = 95%, 1b =
84.5%, 1c = 74.0%, 2a = 66.3%, 2b = 88.3%, 2c = 53.0%, 3a =
33.6%, 3b = 61.2%.
1
Complex 3b. H NMR in CDCl3: 8.37 (d, 2H, J = 8.0 Hz,
pyr.); 8.09 (d, 2H, J = 7.9 Hz, pyr.); 7.34 (t, 6H, J = 7.7 Hz,
arom.); 7.18 (t, 12H, J = 7.5 Hz, arom.); 7.11 (m, 2H, pyr.); 7.03
(m, 12H, arom.); 2.54 ppm (s, 6H, CH3). 13C NMR in CDCl3:
151.97; 151.47; 148.68; 133.15; 132.33; 130.24; 128.94;
+
126.84; 124.21; 21.45 ppm. ESI-MS: 509.12 N^NCuPPh3 .
Elem. anal. %: C 66.96 (calc. 67.10); H: 4.46 (calc. 4.93);
N: 3.33 (calc. 3.26).
1
Complex 1c. H NMR in CDCl3: 8.06 (d, 2H J = 8.0 Hz,
Pyr.); 7.90 (d, 2H, J = 7.9 Hz, pyr.); 7.20–7.30 (m, 8H, arom.);
7.16 (t, 8H, J = 7.3 Hz, arom.); 6.92 (d, 2H, J = 7.7 Hz, pyr.);
6.90–6.99 (m, 10H, arom.); 6.85–6.91 (m, 2H, arom.). 2.18 ppm
(s, 6H, CH3). 13C NMR in CDCl3: 158.13; 152.42; 132.98;
132.91; 130.07; 128.8; 126.09; 120.46; 26.54 ppm. ESI-MS:
784.9 M+; 600.9 Cu(P^P)+. Elem. anal. %: C: 65.26
(calc. 66.03); H: 4.12 (calc. 4.62); N: 2.93 (calc. 3.21).
1
Complex 2c. H NMR in CDCl3: 8.02 (d, 2H, J = 7.9 Hz,
1
Complex 1a: H NMR in CDCl3: 8.42 (d, 2H, J = 3.9 Hz,
pyr.); 7.87 (d, 2H, J = 7.8 Hz, pyr.); 7.61 (d, 2H, J = 7.9 Hz,
pyr.); 7.30 (t, 6H, J = 7.7 Hz, arom.); 7.16 (t, 10H, arom.);
7.00–7.09 (m, 8H, arom.); 6.82 (m, 2H, arom.); 1.98 (s, 6H,
CH3); 1.66 ppm (s, 6H, CH3). 13C NMR in CDCl3: 157.73;
155.11; 152.11; 139.11; 133.17; 130.18; 128.88; 125.72;
120.05; 36.17; 28.39; 26.66 ppm. ESI-MS: 824.9 M+; 640.9
Cu(P^P)+. Elem. anal. %: C: 66.42 (calc. 67.08); H: 4.41
(calc. 4.86); N: 3.00 (calc. 3.07).
pyr.); 8.33 (d, 2H, J = 8.0 Hz, pyr.); 8.00 (t, 2H, J = 7.8 Hz,
pyr.); 7.20–7.31 (m, 8H, arom.); 7.16 (t, 8H, J = 7.3 Hz, arom.);
7.02 (d, 2H, J = 7.7 Hz, pyr.); 6.90–6.99 (m, 10H, arom.);
6.69–6.75 ppm (m, 2H, arom.). 13C NMR in CDCl3: 158.30;
151.71; 149.22; 138.97; 134.39; 133.06; 132.08; 130.08;
130.22; 128.89; 125.98; 125.23; 122.94; 120.51 ppm. ESI-MS:
757.1 M+. 601.0 Cu(P^P)+. Elem. anal. %: C: 65.56 (calc.
65.38) H: 3.92 (calc. 4.29).
1
Complex 2a: H NMR in CDCl3: 8.54 (d, 2H, J = 8.0 Hz,
pyr.); 8.09 (d, 2H, J = 7.8, pyr.); 8.02 (d, 2H, J = 7.8 Hz, pyr.);
7.62 (t, 2H, J = 7.5 Hz, arom.); 7.26 (t, 6H, J = 7.7 Hz, arom.);
7.12 (t, 10H, arom.); 6.79–6.95 (m, 8H, arom.); 6.50 (d, 2H,
J = 7.9 Hz, pyr.); 1.76 ppm (s, 6H, CH3). 13C NMR in CDCl3:
154.91; 151.74; 148.65; 139.60; 133.80; 132.78; 131.20;
130.08; 128.93; 127.18; 123.53; 119.90; 36.26; 28.12 ppm.
ESI-MS: 796.9 M+. 641.0 Cu(P^P)+. Elem. anal. %: C: 66.79
(calc. 66.49; H: 4.47 (calc. 4.55); N: 3.13 (calc. 3.16).
Acknowledgements
Dr P. Meadows and Dr H. Sasakawa at JEOL UK are
gratefully acknowledged for their help in NMR spectroscopy.
The National Mass Spectrometry Service at Swansea
University is acknowledged for the ESI analyses on the
complexes. P. C. wishes to acknowledge RCUK for a Research
Fellowship. I. A. T. wishes to acknowledge Brunel University
for a generous scholarship.
1
Complex 3a: H NMR in CDCl3: 8.50 (d, 2H, J = 3.9 Hz,
pyr.); 8.28 (d, 2H, J = 8.0 Hz, pyr.); 8.08 (t, 2H, J = 7.8 Hz,
pyr.); 7.34 (t, 6H, J = 7.7 Hz, arom.); 7.18 (t, 12H, arom);
This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2012
Dalton Trans., 2012, 41, 8669–8674 | 8673