Strongly luminescent metal-organic compounds: spectroscopic properties and crystal structure of substituted 1,8-naphthyridine and its zinc(II) complex

N,N'-Bisbenzyl-2,7-diamino-1,8-naphthyridine (L) and its zinc(II) complex, [Zn(L)(2)(OAc)(2)], are strongly luminescent materials with emission quantum yields in methanol being 0.38 and 0.59, respectively. The crystal structure of [Zn(L)(2)(OAc)(2)] features a one-dimensional chain structure through intermolecular pi-pi stacking interactions. A broad emission band ranging from 400 to 600 nm is observed from the [Zn(L)(2)(OAc)(2)] solid at room temperature.