A dual-emitting Cu6-Cu2-Cu6 cluster as a self-calibrated, wide-range luminescent molecular thermometer

A tetradecanuclear copper(I) cluster compound, namely [Cu6L3(Cu2I2)Cu6L3] (H2L = 3,5-bis((3,5-dimethyl-pyrazol-4-yl)methyl)-2,6-dimethyl-pyridine), is synthesized. The high thermal stability, well-resolved blue/red dual emissions and two-way luminescent thermochromism warrant its self-calibrated temperature sensing ability, covering a wide range (120-450 K). These promising results are supported by combined structural, spectral and computational studies.