Nianyong Zhu

Towards multifunctional lanthanide-based metal–organic frameworks

We report the synthesis, structure and physicochemical attributes of a new holmium(III)-based metal-organic framework whose 3D network structure gives rise to porosity; the reported structure-type can be varied using a range of different lanthanide ions to tune the photophysical properties and produce ligand-sensitised near-infrared (NIR) and visible light emitters.

Luminescence Color Tuning by Regulating Electrostatic Interaction in Light-Emitting Devices and Two-Photon Excited Information Decryption

It is well-known that the variation of noncovalent interactions of luminophores, such as π-π interaction, metal-to-metal interaction, and hydrogen-bonding interaction, can regulate their emission colors. Electrostatic interaction is also an important noncovalent interaction. However, very few examples of luminescence color tuning induced by electrostatic interaction were reported. Herein, a series of Zn(II)-bis(terpyridine) complexes (Zn-AcO, Zn-BF4, Zn-ClO4, and Zn-PF6) containing different anionic counterions were reported, which exhibit counterion-dependent emission colors from green-yellow to orange-red (549 to 622 nm) in CH2Cl2 solution. More importantly, it was found that the excited states of these Zn(II) complexes can be regulated by changing the electrostatic interaction between Zn2+ and counterions. On the basis of this controllable excited state, white light emission has been achieved by a single molecule, and a white light-emitting device has been fabricated. Moreover, a novel type of data decryption system with Zn-PF6 as the optical recording medium has been developed by the two-photon excitation technique. Our results suggest that rationally controlled excited states of these Zn(II) complexes by regulating electrostatic interaction have promising applications in various optoelectronic fields, such as light-emitting devices, information recording, security protection, and so on.

Ultra-large supramolecular coordination cages composed of endohedral Archimedean and Platonic bodies

Pioneered by Lehn, Cram, Peterson and Breslow, supramolecular chemistry concepts have evolved providing fundamental knowledge of the relationships between the structures and reactivities of organized molecules. A particular fascinating class of metallo-supramolecular molecules are hollow coordination cages that provide cavities of molecular dimensions promoting applications in diverse areas including catalysis, enzyme mimetics and material science. Here we report the synthesis of coordination cages with exceptional cross-sectional diameters that are composed of multiple sub-cages providing numerous distinctive binding sites through labile coordination solvent molecules. The building principles, involving Archimedean and Platonic bodies, renders these supramolecular keplerates as a class of cages whose composition and topological aspects compare to characteristics of edge-transitive {Cu2} MOFs with A3X4 stoichiometry. The nature of the cavities in these double-shell metal-organic polyhedra and their inner/outer binding sites provide perspectives for post-synthetic functionalizations, separations and catalysis. Transmission electron microscopy studies demonstrate that single molecules are experimentally accessible.

Anion-directed supramolecular chemistry modulating the magnetic properties of nanoscopic Mn coordination clusters: from polynuclear high-spin complexes to SMMs.

We report a supramolecular approach to mixed-valent Mn coordination clusters that demonstrates how halide ions can be applied to influence the assembly of distinct tetranuclear building units to produce a number of related Mn coordination clusters with dense core structures that derive from a cuboctahedral arrangement of Mn ions. In all compounds the alignment of the Jahn-Teller axes of the MnIII centers coincides with the positions of the stabilizing chloride ligands. Thus, the relative chloride concentrations in the reaction mixtures allow us to modify the symmetry and magnetic anisotropy of this basic core structures resulting in isotropic polynuclear high-spin complexes at high Cl- concentrations and Single-Molecule Magnets at lower relative Cl- concentrations.

Effects of peripheral substitutions on the singlet oxygen quantum yields of monophthalocyaninato ytterbium(III) complexes

A new monophthalocyaninato ytterbium(III) complex 5 with eight 3,5-di-t-butylphenoxyl substituents at peripheral positions is synthesized. X-ray structural analysis of 5·CHCl3·MeOH reveals that the Yb3+ ion is seven-coordinate, surrounded by four nitrogen atoms from the phthalocyaninate dianion and three oxygen atoms from the anionic tripodal LOMe− ligand {LOMe− = [(cyclopentadienyl)tris(dimethylphosphito) cobaltate(III)]}. The effects of substituents on the relative singlet oxygen (1O2) quantum yields of monophthalocyaninato ytterbium(III) complexes are investigated through comparison. It is found that the monophthalocyaninato ytterbium(III) complex has higher 1O2 quantum yield than its corresponding phthalocyaninate ligand. The introduction of a 3,5-di-t-butylphenoxy substituent on the microcycle can enhance the yield of singlet oxygen. Due to the heavy-atoms of both iodine and lanthanide ions, the ytterbium(III) complex 4 based on tert-butyl and iodine substituted phthalocyanine ligands has the highest 1O2 quantum yield (0.82).

Synthesis, characterization and electrochemistry of some metal carbonyl clusters derived from ferrocenylethynylpyridine

The chemical reactivity of ferrocenylethynylpyridine ligand with some metal complexes has been studied. Ligation of this ferrocenyl-functionalized pyridyl metalloligand with triosmium carbonyl cluster [Os3(CO)10(NCMe)2] via oxidative addition led to a new supramolecular heterobimetallic cluster [Os3(CO)10(μ-H){μ-NC5H3C≡C(η5-C5H4)Fe(η5-C5H5)}] 1 in good yield. Coordination of Co2(CO)8 with the alkyne functionality of 1 gave another new heterotrimetallic cluster complex [Os3(CO)10(μ-H){μ-NC5H3{C2Co2(CO)6}(η5-C5H4)Fe(η5-C5H5)}] 2 in which the molecule possesses a Co2C2 core adopting the pseudo-tetrahedral geometry having the alkyne bond lying perpendicular to the Co–Co vector. Characterization of 1 and 2 by IR and 1H NMR spectroscopies indicated that these complexes consist of an orthometalated trinuclear carbonyl cluster unit rigidly connected to a ferrocenyl unit. Electrochemical studies on 1 and 2 revealed that both of them undergo a reversible one-electron oxidation at iron followed by an irreversible oxidation of the Os3 cluster core. Another simple mononuclear zinc(II) complex [ZnCl2{(NC5H4C≡C(η5-C5H4)Fe(η5-C5H5)}2] 3 was also prepared for comparison of the electrochemical data with those of 1 and 2.

CCDC 1548500: Experimental Crystal Structure Determination

Related Article: Zhao Chen, Liqi Wang, Sikai Su, Xingyu Zheng, Nianyong Zhu, Cheuk-Lam Ho, Shuming Chen, and Wai-Yeung Wong|2017|ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces|9|40497|doi:10.1021/acsami.7b09172

Synthesis, characterization and luminescent properties of three-coordinate copper(I) halide complexes containing diphenylamino monodentate phosphine ligand

Abstract Three-coordinate copper halide complexes with a bidentate phosphine ligand have received much attention. Here, a series of three-coordinate dinuclear copper halide complexes containing a diphenylamino monodentate phosphine ligand, [CuX(dpnp)]2 (dpnp = N-[2-(diphenylphosphino)-4,5-dimethylphenyl]-N-phenylaniline, X = I (1), Br (2) and Cl (3)), were synthesized, and their molecular structures and photophysical properties were investigated. The structural analysis reveals that two copper(I) centers are bridged by two halogen ligands to form a dinuclear structure with a four-membered Cu2X2 ring. Crystal structures of 1–3 contain 1-D supramolecular arrays constructed by intermolecular C–H⋯π interactions. These complexes exhibit blue emission in the solid state at room temperature and have peak emission wavelengths at 483–487 nm with microsecond lifetimes (τ = 13.9–38.1 μs) and low emission quantum yields (<0.01%). The emission of complex 1 mainly originates from intraligand (IL) transition, whereas the emissions of complexes 2 and 3 are from a combination of MLCT, XLCT and IL transitions. The three complexes displayed good thermal stability.

Synthesis, characterization and luminescent properties of copper(I) halide complexes containing biphenyl bidentate phosphine ligand

Abstract Copper(I) halide complexes having thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) and phosphorescence have attracted much attention. Here, a series of four-coordinate dinuclear copper(I) halide complexes, [CuX(bpbp)]2 (bpbp = 2,2′-bis(diphenylphosphino)biphenyl, X = I (1), Br (2) and Cl (3)), were synthesized, and their molecular structures and photophysical properties were investigated. The structural analysis reveals that two copper(I) centers are bridged by two halogen ligands to form a dinuclear structure with a four-membered Cu2X2 ring. These complexes exhibit yellow to blue emission in the solid state at room temperature and have peak emission wavelengths at 575–487 nm with microsecond lifetimes (τ = 6.2–19.8 μs) and low emission quantum yields (<0.01%). The emissions of 1–3 originate from MLCT, XLCT, and IL (intraligand) transitions. Three complexes displayed good thermal stability.