Sensitized Eu(III) luminescence by energy transfer from the Cu(I) antenna chromophore

Refluxing of 5,6-diamino-1,10-phenanthroline and 2-(diphenylphosphino)benzaldehyde in air led to the for-mation of a new bridging ligand, 2-(2-diphenylphosphinoyl)phenyl-1H-imidazo[4,5-f][1,10]-phenanthroline (dpipH). Then, two mononuclear phosphorescent Cu(I) complexes, [Cu(dpipH)(POP)]ClO4 (1) and [Cu(dpipH) (xantphos)]ClO4 (2), as well as two trinuclear Cu(I)-Eu(III) 3d-4f complexes [Cu2Eu(mu-dpipH)2(POP)2(tta)2] (ClO4)3 (3) and [Cu2Eu(mu-dpipH)2(xantphos)2(tta)2](ClO4)3 (4), were obtained through self-assembly, where POP, xantphos and tta- denote bis[(2-diphenylphosphino)phenyl] ether, 9,9-dimethyl-4,5-bis(diphenylphos-phino)-9H-xanthene and 2-thenoyltrifluoroacetone anion, respectively. The sensitized Eu(III) luminescence was successfully achieved by energy transfer from the Cu(I) antenna chromophores to the Eu(III) centers.

Automated summary

In this study, a new bridging ligand was synthesized through refluxing, and two mononuclear Cu(I) complexes and two trinuclear Cu(I)-Eu(III) complexes were obtained through self-assembly. The Cu(I) antenna chromophores successfully transferred energy to the Eu(III) centers, achieving sensitized Eu(III) luminescence.