Chemiluminescence and electrochemiluminescence of water-soluble iridium(III) complexes containing a tetraethylene-glycol functionalised triazolylpyridine ligand.

BACKGROUND: Iridium(III) complexes, exhibiting high luminescence quantum yields and a wide range of emission colours, are promising alternatives to tris(2,2'-bipyridine)ruthenium(II) for chemiluminescence (CL) and electrochemiluminescence (ECL) detection. This emerging class of reagent, however, is limited by the poor solubility of many iridium(III) complexes in aqueous solution, and lack of understanding of their remarkably variable selectivities towards different analytes. RESULTS: Seven [Ir(C^N)2(pt-TEG)]+ complexes, exhibiting a wide range of reduction potentials and emission energies, were examined with six model analytes. For CL, cerium(IV) was used as the oxidant. The alkylamine analytes generally produced greater CL and ECL with the more readily oxidised Ir(III) complexes (C^N = piq, bt, ppy), predominantly through the 'direct' pathway requiring oxidation of both metal complex and analyte. Aniline derivatives that did not also contain secondary or tertiary alkylamines elicited CL from the less readily oxidised complexes (C^N = df-ppy-CF3, df-ppy) via energy transfer. The most difficult to oxidise complexes (C^N = df(CF3)-ppy-Me, df(CN)-ppy) gave poor responses due to the limited potential window of the solvent and inefficiency of energy transfer to their high energy excited states. Greater CL and/or ECL intensities were generally obtained for each analyte with at least one Ir(III) complex than with [Ru(bpy)3]2+; superior limits of detection for two analytes were demonstrated. SIGNIFICANCE: This exploration of CL/ECL in which the properties of luminophore, analyte and oxidant are all varied provides a new understanding of the influence of the metal-complex potentials and excited state energy on the light-producing and quenching pathways, and consequently, their distinct selectivity towards different analytes. These findings will guide the development of water-soluble Ir(III) complexes as CL and ECL reagents.

Luminescent iridium(iii)-boronic acid complexes for carbohydrate sensing.

A family of four Ir(iii) complexes of the form [Ir(ppy)2(L)]Cl (where ppy = 2-phenyl-pyridine and L = a pyridyl-1,2,4-triazole or pyridyl-1,3,4-oxadiazole ligand bearing a boronic acid group) have been prepared as potential luminescent sensors for carbohydrates. A modular eight step procedure was developed to synthesise the complexes, and this was initiated with the preparation of two benzhydrazide and three S-ethylated pyridine-2-thiocarboxamides precursors. Reaction of these precursors produced three new 1,2,4-triazole- and one 1,3,4-oxadiazole-based ligands substituted with boronic acid pinacol ester groups. The boronic acid pinacol esters were then converted to boronic acids in two steps via potassium trifluoroborate intermediates. The boronic acid substituted ligands and their Ir(iii) complexes were fully characterised using a range of techniques including X-ray crystallography in the case of the pyridyl-1,3,4-oxadiazole ligand and two of the Ir(iii) complexes. The capacity of the synthesised Ir(iii) complexes to form boronic acid cyclic esters with the simple sugars glucose and fructose was evaluated using high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) and photoluminescence titration studies. These studies confirm that the Ir(iii) complexes form adducts with both glucose and fructose, with increased levels of boronic acid cyclic esters being formed with fructose at higher pHs. Theoretical calculations were used to gain insight into the nature of the electronic transitions involved in the electronic absorption and emission spectra.

A conceptual framework for the development of iridium(iii) complex-based electrogenerated chemiluminescence labels.

Translation of the highly promising electrogenerated chemiluminescence (ECL) properties of Ir(iii) complexes (with tri-n-propylamine (TPrA) as a co-reactant) into a new generation of ECL labels for ligand binding assays necessitates the introduction of functionality suitable for bioconjugation. Modification of the ligands, however, can affect not only the photophysical and electrochemical properties of the complex, but also the reaction pathways available to generate light. Through a combined theoretical and experimental study, we reveal the limitations of conventional approaches to the design of electrochemiluminophores and introduce a new class of ECL label, [Ir(C^N)2(pt-TOxT-Sq)]+ (where C^N is a range of possible cyclometalating ligands, and pt-TOxT-Sq is a pyridyltriazole ligand with trioxatridecane chain and squarate amide ethyl ester), which outperformed commercial Ir(iii) complex labels in two commonly used assay formats. Predicted limits on the redox potentials and emission wavelengths of Ir(iii) complexes capable of generating ECL via the dominant pathway applicable in microbead supported ECL assays were experimentally verified by measuring the ECL intensities of the parent luminophores at different applied potentials, and comparing the ECL responses for the corresponding labels under assay conditions. This study provides a framework to tailor ECL labels for specific assay conditions and a fundamental understanding of the ECL pathways that will underpin exploration of new luminophores and co-reactants.

The Tandem Photoredox Catalysis Mechanism of [Ir(ppy)2(dtb-bpy)]+ Enabling Access to Energy Demanding Organic Substrates.

We report the discovery of a tandem catalytic process to reduce energy demanding substrates, using the [Ir(ppy)2(dtb-bpy)]+ (1+) photocatalyst. The immediate products of photoinitiated electron transfer (PET) between 1+ and triethylamine (TEA) undergo subsequent reactions to generate a previously unknown, highly reducing species (2). Formation of 2 occurs via reduction and semisaturation of the ancillary dtb-bpy ligand, where the TEA radical cation serves as an effective hydrogen atom donor, confirmed by nuclear magnetic resonance, mass spectrometry, and deuterium labeling experiments. Steady-state and time-resolved luminescence and absorption studies reveal that upon irradiation, 2 undergoes electron transfer or proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) with a representative acceptor (N-(diphenylmethylene)-1-phenylmethanamine; S). Turnover of this new photocatalytic cycle occurs along with the reformation of 1+. We rationalize our observations by proposing the first example of a mechanistic pathway where two distinct yet interconnected photoredox cycles provide access to an extended reduction potential window capable of engaging a wide range of energy demanding and synthetically relevant organic substrates including aryl halides.

Tuning the electrochemiluminescent properties of iridium complexes of N-heterocyclic carbene ligands.

A series of five heteroleptic Ir(iii) complexes of the general form Ir(dfppy)2(C^C) have been prepared (where dfppy represents 2-(2,4-difluorophenyl)pyridine and C^C represents a bidentate cyclometalated phenyl substituted imidazolylidene ligand). The cyclometalated phenyl ring of the imidazolylidene ligand was either unsubstituted or substituted with electron donating (OMe and Me) or electron withdrawing (Cl and F) groups in the 2 and 4 positions. The synthesised Ir(iii) complexes have been characterised by elemental analysis, NMR spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry and electronic absorption and emission spectroscopy. The molecular structures for four Ir(iii) complexes were determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction. Each of the Ir(iii) complexes exhibited intense photoluminescence in acetonitrile solution at room temperature with quantum yields (ΦPL) ranging from 58% to 86%. Cyclic voltammetry experiments revealed one oxidation process (formally ascribed to the metal centre), and two ligand-based reductions for each complex. Complexes 1-5 gave moderate to intense annihilation and co-reactant electrochemiluminescence (ECL). Consideration of the electrochemical, spectroscopic and theoretical investigations provide insights into the electrochemiluminescence behaviour.

Unusually Strong Electrochemiluminescence from Iridium-Based Redox Polymers Immobilized As Thin Layers or Polymer Nanoparticles.

A new class of redox metallopolymer based on cyclometalated iridium(III) centers is described, with unusually intense luminescence properties in aqueous media. We report the facile synthesis, photophysical and electrochemical characterization, supported by DFT calculations and their electrochemiluminescence (ECL) properties which, under some circumstances, are significantly greater than the analogous ruthenium-based materials. The photoluminescence (PL) and ECL of these materials are further dramatically enhanced when dispersed or immobilized as polymeric nanoparticles (PNPs). This aggregation-induced emission (AIE and AIECL) operates by providing important protection for the cyclometalated iridium(III) centers against the types of quenching processes which commonly afflict iridium-based luminophores in aqueous media. The results suggest interesting new avenues of research for the application of such materials in and PL and ECL-based detection and imaging as well as light-emitting devices.

Mixed annihilation electrogenerated chemiluminescence of iridium(iii) complexes.

Previously reported annihilation ECL of mixtures of metal complexes have generally comprised Ir(ppy)3 or a close analogue as a higher energy donor/emitter (green/blue light) and [Ru(bpy)3]2+ or its derivative as a lower energy acceptor/emitter (red light). In contrast, here we examine Ir(ppy)3 as the lower energy acceptor/emitter, by combining it with a second Ir(iii) complex: [Ir(df-ppy)2(ptb)]+ (where ptb = 1-benzyl-1,2,3-triazol-4-ylpyridine). The application of potentials sufficient to attain the first single-electron oxidation and reduction products can be exploited to detect Ir(ppy)3 at orders of magnitude lower concentration, or enhance its maximum emission intensity at high concentration far beyond that achievable through conventional annihilation ECL of Ir(ppy)3 involving comproportionation. Moreover, under certain conditions, the colour of the emission can be selected through the applied electrochemical potentials. We have also prepared a novel Ir(iii) complex with a sufficiently low reduction potential that the reaction between its reduced form and Ir(ppy)3+ cannot populate the excited state of either luminophore. This enabled, for the first time, the exclusive formation of either excited state through the application of higher cathodic or anodic potentials, but in both cases, the ECL was greatly diminished by parasitic dark reactions.