Designing NHC-Copper(I) Dipyridylamine Complexes for Blue Light-Emitting Electrochemical Cells.

This study presents the influence of various substituents on the photophysical features of heteroleptic copper(I) complexes bearing both N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) and dipyridylamine (dpa = dipyridylamine skeleton corresponding to ligand L1) ligands. The luminescent properties have been compared to our recently reported archetypal blue emitting [Cu(IPr)(dpa)][PF6] complex. The choice of the substituents on both ligands has been guided to explore the effect of the electron donor/acceptor and "push-pull" on the emission wavelengths and photoluminescence quantum yields. A selection of the best candidates in terms of their photophysical features were applied for developing the first blue light-emitting electrochemical cells (LECs) based on copper(I) complexes. The device analysis suggests that the main concern is the moderate redox stability of the complexes under high applied driving currents, leading to devices with moderate stabilities pointing to a proof-of-concept for further development. Nevertheless, under low applied driving currents the blue emission is stable, showing performance levels competitive to those reported for blue LECs based on iridium(III) complexes. Overall, this work provides valuable guidelines to tackle the design of enhanced NHC copper complexes for lighting applications in the near future.

NHC copper(I) complexes bearing dipyridylamine ligands: synthesis, structural, and photoluminescent studies.

We describe the synthesis of new cationic tricoordinated copper complexes bearing bidentate pyridine-type ligands and N-heterocyclic carbene as ancillary ligands. These cationic copper complexes were fully characterized by NMR, electrochemistry, X-ray analysis, and photophysical studies in different environments. Density functional theory calculations were also undertaken to rationalize the assignment of the electronic structure and the photophysical properties. These tricoordinated cationic copper complexes possess a stabilizing CH-π interaction leading to high stability in both solid and liquid states. In addition, these copper complexes, bearing dipyridylamine ligands having a central nitrogen atom as potential anchoring point, exhibit very interesting luminescent properties that render them potential candidates for organic light-emitting diode applications.

Monopicolinate cross-bridged cyclam combining very fast complexation with very high stability and inertness of its copper(II) complex.

The synthesis of a new cross-bridged 1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetradecane (cb-cyclam) derivative bearing a picolinate arm (Hcb-te1pa) was achieved by taking advantage of the proton sponge properties of the starting constrained macrocycle. The structure of the reinforced ligand as well as its acid-base properties and coordination properties with Cu(2+) and Zn(2+) was investigated. The X-ray structure of the free ligand showed a completely preorganized conformation that lead to very fast copper(II) complexation under mild conditions (instantaneous at pH 7.4) or even in acidic pH (3 min at pH 5) at room temperature and that demonstrated high thermodynamic stability, which was measured by potentiometry (at 25 °C and 0.10 M in KNO3). The results also revealed that the complex exists as a monopositive copper(II) species in the intermediate pH range. A comparative study highlighted the important selectivity for Cu(2+) over Zn(2+). The copper(II) complex was synthesized and investigated in solution using different spectroscopic techniques and DFT calculations. The kinetic inertness of the copper(II) complex in acidic medium was evaluated by spectrophotometry, revealing the very slow dissociation of the complex. The half-life of 96 days, in 5 M HClO4, and 465 min, in 5 M HCl at 25 °C, show the high kinetic stability of the copper(II) chelate compared to that of the corresponding complexes of other macrocyclic ligands. Additionally, cyclic voltammetry experiments underlined the perfect electrochemical inertness of the complex as well as the quasi-reversible Cu(2+)/Cu(+) redox system. The coordination geometry of the copper center in the complex was established in aqueous solution from UV-vis and EPR spectroscopies.

Electrochemical access to 8-(1-phenyl-ethyl)-1,4-dioxa-8-aza-spiro[4.5]decane-7-carbonitrile. Application to the asymmetric syntheses of (+)-myrtine and alkaloid (+)-241D.

The total syntheses of both enantiomers of trans-quinolizidine (+)-myrtine and cis-2,4,6-trisubstituted piperidine alkaloid (+)-241D are reported here. Our approach was based on the N-Boc-directed metalation of enantiopure 4-piperidone (-)-11, which was prepared in four steps from α-amino nitrile 6 through a stereoselective alkylation-reduction decyanation process. α-Amino nitrile 6 was prepared at the anode through electrochemical oxidation of 4-piperidone (+)-5. In our study, α-phenylethylamine (α-PEA) allowed an efficient 1-3 stereoinduction, and an orthogonal cleavage of the N-Boc protecting group in piperidone derivatives was carried out by stirring them in a suspension of SnCl4·(Et2O)2 complex in diethyl ether. When appropriate, the er's were determined by proton and carbon NMR spectroscopy utilizing (+)-tert-butylphenylphosphinothioic acid and (+)-DBTA as chiral solvating agents.