Efficient green OLEDs achieved by a terbium(III) complex with photoluminescent quantum yield close to 100%

Binuclear Lanthanide Complexes as Magnetic Resonance and Optical Imaging Probes for Redox Sensing

We report a family of lanthanide(III) complexes that act as redox probes via both magnetic resonance (MR) and luminescence outputs. The ligands are functionalized with nitro, azobenzene and azide groups which are reduced to a common aniline product, and each responds to both chemical and biocatalytic reductive conditions at different cathodic onset potentials. By judicious choice of complexed Ln(III), the probes can be optimized either for use in MR imaging (Ln = Gd), or as highly efficient turn-on luminescence probes (Ln = Tb). The Tb(III) analogues are essentially nonemissive, until reductive generation of the aniline affords a complex which when excited by visible light (488 nm) emits green light with a quantum yield of 45% and millisecond long luminescent lifetimes (ms). The tunable redox response and imaging modalities of these versatile complexes have the potential to open up new approaches to redox sensing, such as the imaging of hypoxic environments in biology.

Near-Infrared Ytterbium Complexes Based on Polycyclic Aromatic Dicarboxylate Ligands and the Solution-Processed NIR OLED with Irradiance up to 110,284 μW/m2

Since the O-H and N-H oscillators of solvent molecules attached to ytterbium ion (Yb3+) and C-H oscillators existing in the inner coordination sphere of Yb3+ would quench the excited energy of Yb(III), which leads to low quantum yields (QYs) of Yb(III) complexes, we aimed to design a ligand that could block solvent molecules and C-H oscillators out of the first coordination sphere of Yb3+. Herein, a series of novel polycyclic aromatic dicarboxylate ligands are designed and synthesized to effectively protect Yb3+ from solvent molecules and efficiently sensitize Yb3+ luminescence, while the cost and sophistication of the synthesis are satisfactory. Therein, [Yb(MO-DPyPDA)2](DIEA) exhibited a considerable QY of 5.20% and a long luminescent lifetime of 102 μs in CD3OD. The single-crystal structure demonstrates that there are no solvent molecules and C-H oscillators existing in the inner coordination sphere of Yb3+, which is conducive to alleviating the quenching effect. Meanwhile, we also carried out experiments to verify that it was thermodynamically feasible for ligands to sensitize the luminescence of center ion through internal redox processes. Moreover, several groups of near-infrared organic light-emitting diodes based on [Yb(DTFM-DPyPDA)2](DIEA) were fabricated based on the solution-processing method, and the highest irradiance of 110,284 μW/m2 was realized by optimizing the device structure.

Enhanced Circularly Polarized Green Luminescence Metrics from New Enantiopure Binary Tris-Pyrazolonate-Tb3+ Complexes

Achieving superior circularly polarized luminescence brightness (BCPL) is an important subject and continuous challenge for chiroptical materials. Herein, by applying a binary molecular design for the synthesis of chiral organo-Tb3+ molecules, a novel pair of mononuclear chiral tris-pyrazolate-Tb3+ enantiomers, [Tb(PMIP)3(R,R-Ph-PyBox)] (2) and [Tb(PMIP)3(S,S-Ph-PyBox)] (5), have been synthesized and characterized. The three 1-phenyl-3-methyl-4-(isobutyryl)-5-pyrazolone (HPMIP) ligands play the role of efficient luminescence sensitizers and strong light-harvesting antennas, while the enantiopure 2,6-bis(4-phenyl-2-oxazolin-2-yl) pyridine ligand (R,R/S,S-Ph-PyBox) is employed as the strong point-chiral inducer. With the proper combination of the HPMIP and Chiral-Ph-PyBox within the Tb3+ enantiomers, strong (PMIP)--centered π-π* electronic absorption (ε263 nm = 38,400-39,500 M-1 cm-1) and brilliant high-purity ligand-sensitized Tb3+-centered green luminescence (ΦPL = 47-48%) were observed. In addition, a clear circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) activity (|glum| = 0.096-0.103) was also observed, resulting in a strong BCPL (610-623 M-1 cm-1) for the two Tb3+ enantiomers from the hypersensitive transitions. Our results offer an effective path to develop high-performance chiroptical organo-Tb3+ luminophores.

Efficient Organic Light-Emitting Diodes Obtained by Introducing Gadolinium (Gd) Complexes Based on Pyrazolone Derivative Ligands as Hole Trappers

The utilization of lanthanide (Ln) complexes in the realm of organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) has garnered extensive interest, particularly in their role as luminescent materials or electron trappers. A series of gadolinium (Gd) complexes with energy levels of high HOMO/LUMO and different triplet state energies were designed and synthesized by introducing substituents with different electronic effects onto the pyrazolone derivative ligands. Subsequently, these complexes were precisely purified by vacuum sublimation and codoped into the light-emitting layer (EML) of the OLEDs. This process was facilitated through the well-matched HOMO/LUMO levels and triplet energies among various functional materials. Consequently, the maximum external quantum efficiencies of blue, red, and green OLEDs were simultaneously enhanced with the ratios of 119%, 28%, and 71%, respectively. This improvement can be credited to the introduction of Gd(III) complex molecules within EMLs, which helps to capture excess holes and improve carriers' balance.

A Novel Near-Infrared Ytterbium Complex [Yb(DPPDA)2](DIPEA) with Φ = 0.46% and τobs = 105 μs

The luminescent performances of near-infrared (NIR) lanthanide (Ln) complexes were restricted greatly by vibration quenching of X-H (X = C, N, O) oscillators, which are usually contained in ligands and solvents. Encapsulating Ln³⁺ into a cavity of coordination atoms is a feasible method of alleviating this quenching effect. In this work, a novel ytterbium complex [Yb(DPPDA)₂](DIPEA) coordinated with 4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline-2,9-dicarboxylic acid (DPPDA) was synthesized and characterized by FT-IR, ESI-MS and elemental analysis. Under the excitation of 335 nm light, [Yb(DPPDA)₂](DIPEA) showed two emission peaks at 975 and 1011 nm, respectively, which were assigned to the characteristic ²F_5/2 → ²F_7/2 transition of Yb³⁺. Meanwhile, this ytterbium complex exhibited a plausible absolute quantum yield of 0.46% and a luminescent lifetime of 105 μs in CD₃OD solution. In particular, its intrinsic quantum yield was calculated to be 12.5%, and this considerably high value was attributed to the near-zero solvent molecules bound to Yb³⁺ and the absence of X-H oscillators in the first coordination sphere. Based on experimental results, we further proposed that the sensitized luminescence of [Yb(DPPDA)₂](DIPEA) occurred via an internal redox mechanism instead of an energy transfer process.

Tb3+ Photophysics: Mapping Excited State Dynamics of [Tb(H2O)9]3+ Using Molecular Photophysics

The study of optical transitions in lanthanide(III) ions has evolved separately from molecular photophysics, but the framework still applies to these forbidden transitions. In this study, a detailed photophysical characterization of the [Tb(H₂O)₉]³⁺ aqua ion was performed. The luminescence quantum yield (Φ_lum), excited state lifetime (τ_obs), radiative (k_r ≡ A) and nonradiative (k_nr) rate constants, and oscillator strength (f) were determined for Tb(CF₃SO₃)₃ in H₂O/D₂O mixtures in order to map the radiative and nonradiative transition probabilities. It was shown that the intense luminescence observed from Tb³⁺ compared to other Ln³⁺ ions is not due to a higher transition probability of emission but rather due to a lack of quenching, quantified by quenching to O-H oscillators in the aqua ion of k_q(OH) = 2090 s^-1 for terbium and k_q(OH) = 8840 s^-1 for europium. In addition, the Horrocks method of determining inner-sphere solvent molecules has been revisited, and it was concluded that the Tb³⁺ is 9-coordinated in aqueous solution.

Rare Earth Complexes of Europium(II) and Substituted Bis(pyrazolyl)borates with High Photoluminescence Efficiency

Rare earth europium(II) complexes based on d-f transition luminescence have characteristics of broad emission spectra, tunable emission colors and short excited state lifetimes, showing great potential in display, lighting and other fields. In this work, four complexes of Eu(II) and bis(pyrazolyl)borate ligands, where pyrazolyl stands for pyrazolyl, 3-methylpyrazolyl, 3,5-dimethylpyrazolyl or 3-trifluoromethylpyrazole, were designed and synthesized. Due to the varied steric hindrance of the ligands, different numbers of solvent molecules (tetrahydrofuran) are participated to saturate the coordination structure. These complexes showed blue-green to yellow emissions with maximum wavelength in the range of 490-560 nm, and short excited state lifetimes of 30-540 ns. Among them, the highest photoluminescence quantum yield can reach 100%. In addition, when the complexes were heated under vacuum or nitrogen atmosphere, they finally transformed into the complexes of Eu(II) and corresponding tri(pyrazolyl)borate ligands and sublimated away.

Lanthanide (Eu3+/Tb3+)-Loaded γ-Cyclodextrin Nano-Aggregates for Smart Sensing of the Anticancer Drug Irinotecan

The clinical use of anticancer drugs necessitates new technologies for their safe, sensitive, and selective detection. In this article, lanthanide (Eu³⁺ and Tb³⁺)-loaded γ-cyclodextrin nano-aggregates (ECA and TCA) are reported, which sensitively detects the anticancer drug irinotecan by fluorescence intensity changes. Fluorescent lanthanide (Eu³⁺ and Tb³⁺) complexes exhibit high fluorescence intensity, narrow and distinct emission bands, long fluorescence lifetime, and insensitivity to photobleaching. However, these lanthanide (Eu³⁺ and Tb³⁺) complexes are essentially hydrophobic, toxic, and non-biocompatible. Lanthanide (Eu³⁺ and Tb³⁺) complexes were loaded into naturally hydrophilic γ-cyclodextrin to form fluorescent nano-aggregates. The biological nontoxicity and cytocompatibility of ECA and TCA fluorescent nanoparticles were demonstrated by cytotoxicity experiments. The ECA and TCA fluorescence nanosensors can detect irinotecan selectively and sensitively through the change of fluorescence intensity, with detection limits of 6.80 μM and 2.89 μM, respectively. ECA can safely detect irinotecan in the cellular environment, while TCA can detect irinotecan intracellularly and is suitable for cell labeling.

Inorganic Lanthanide Compounds with f-d Transition: From Materials to Electroluminescence Devices

With the rapid development of the panel display market, demand for efficient light emitters as active layers in electroluminescence (EL) devices has significantly increased. Luminescent inorganic lanthanide compounds (ILCs) with a characteristic f-d transition are particularly preferred for EL devices because of their high photoluminescent quantum yield, short excited-state lifetime, tunable emission spectra, and high thermal stability. In this Perspective, we first present an overview of inorganic lanthanide compounds with an emphasis on the mechanisms and characteristics of f-d emission. Then, the comprehensive advances of lanthanide element-doped inorganic compounds for EL study in recent decades are summarized. Moreover, the recent progress in directly employing ILCs for EL applications and rational improvement strategies in EL performance are highlighted. Last, we summarize the current challenges and opportunities of ILC-based EL devices as well as future improvement directions.

A Tb3+ functionalized triazine-porous organic framework as a ratiometric fluorescent sensor for determination of ciprofloxacin in aquatic products

A Tb3+ functionalized triazine-porous organic framework (Tb3+/TAPOF) was prepared by introducing Tb3+ into a triazine-porous organic framework through a coordination bond.