Dynamics of the Ligand Excited States Relaxation in Novel β-Diketonates of Non-Luminescent Trivalent Metal Ions

Complexes emitting in the blue spectral region are attractive materials for developing white-colored light sources. Here, we report the luminescence properties of novel coordination compounds based on the trivalent group 3, 13 metals, and the 1-phenyl-3-methyl-4-cyclohexylcarbonyl-pyrazol-5-onate (Q(CH)) ligand. [M(Q(CH))(3)] (M = Al, Ga, and In), [M(Q(CH))(3)(H2O)] (M = Sc, Gd, and Lu), [Lu(Q(CH))(3)(DMSO)], and [La(Q(CH))(3)(H2O)(EtOH)] complexes were synthesized and structurally characterized by a single-crystal X-ray diffraction study. It has been found that the luminescence quantum yields of the ligand increase by one order of magnitude upon metal coordination. A significant correspondence between the energies of the ligand's excited states and the luminescence quantum yields to the metal ion's atomic numbers was found using molecular spectroscopy techniques. The replacement of the central ion with the heavier one leads to a monotonic increase in singlet state energy, while the energy of the triplet state is similar for all the complexes. Time-resolved measurements allowed us to estimate the intersystem crossing (ISC) rate constants. It was shown that replacing the Al3+ ion with the heavier diamagnetic Ga3+ and In3+ ions decreased the ISC rate, while the replacement with the paramagnetic Gd3+ ion increased the ISC rate, which resulted in a remarkably bright and room-temperature phosphorescence of [Gd(Q(CH))(3)(H2O)].

Automated summary

This study reports on the luminescence properties of novel coordination compounds based on trivalent group 3, 13 metals and the Q(CH) ligand. The coordination of metal ions leads to a significant increase in the luminescence quantum yields of the ligand. Molecular spectroscopy techniques reveal a correspondence between the energies of the ligand's excited states and the luminescence quantum yields to the metal ion's atomic numbers. The replacement of the central ion in the complexes affects the intersystem crossing rate and results in bright room-temperature phosphorescence.