Ground-state quenching of the 2E excited state of tris(2,2'-bipyridine)chromium(3+) and tris(1,10-phenanthroline)chromium(3+)

The overlooked NIR luminescence of Cr(ppy)3

Cr(ppy)₃, a structural analog of the green phosphorescent Ir(ppy)₃, emits even in solution at room temperature from a weakly distorted spin-flip state at 910 nm (Hppy = 2-phenylpyridine). The low energy arises from an enhanced covalence of the Cr-C bonds as compared to Cr-N bonds. Lower temperature reduces thermally activated decay increasing the emission intensity.

Excited state behaviour of substituted dipyridophenazine Cr(III) complexes in the presence of nucleic acids

The photophysics and photochemistry of [Cr(phen)(2)(dppz)](3+) and its 11,12-substituted derivatives [Cr(phen)(2)(X(2)dppz)](3+) {X = Me or F} have been studied in the presence of purine nucleotides or DNA using steady state and time-resolved absorption and luminescence spectroscopy. 5'-Adenosine monophosphate (5'-AMP) shows only a weak interaction with the excited states of each complex. By contrast they are efficiently quenched by 5'-guanosine monophosphate (5'-GMP), consistent with photo-induced electron transfer. Laser flash photolysis spectroscopy in the presence of 5'-GMP suggests that both forward and back electron-transfers are rapid. All complexes also display a strong affinity for DNA and evidence for both static and dynamic quenching mechanisms is provided.

Solvent Effects on the Spectroscopic and Photophysical Properties of the trans-(1,4,8,11-Tetraazacyclotetradecane)diisothiocyanatochromium(III) Ion, trans-[Cr(cyclam)(NCS)2]+

The spectroscopy and photophysics of trans-[Cr(cyclam)(NCS)2]+ (where cyclam is 1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetradecane) were studied in a range of solvents. The cyclam NH stretching vibration [nu(NH)] wavenumber correlates with the Gutmann donor number, whereas the thiocyanate CN stretching vibration [nu(CN)] wavenumber correlates with the Snyder solvent strength (P') scale. These results signify that there is a difference in the solvent interactions with the two types of ligands. The energy of the ligand-to-metal charge transfer absorption maximum between 310 and 320 nm and the energy of the spin-forbidden (doublet-quartet) absorption and emission bands above 700 nm correlate with the nu(CN) wavenumber. This establishes the dominant role of solvent effects at the NCS- ligand in "tuning" the energy of these spectroscopic features. Quantum yields phirx for photosubstitution are <0.02 at 54 degrees C and <0.002 at 22 degrees C, demonstrating that photochemical reaction is a very minor pathway. The effects of solvent and temperature on the nonradiative decay of the doublet excited-state were investigated by observing the time-resolved phosphorescence between 700 and 750 nm. Below 30 degrees C, the lifetimes are relatively temperature-independent, whereas at higher temperatures, a strong Arrhenius-type dependence is observed. Values for the preexponential factor (A) and the activation energy (Ea) are solvent-dependent and follow a Barclay-Butler-type correlation. These observations are consistent with a dominant back-intersystem crossing pathway for nonradiative decay in the higher-temperature region. From trends observed between ln(A) and the nu(CN) frequency, it appears that solvent effects at the thiocyanate ligand play a dominant role in influencing the rate of nonradiative decay in the high-temperature region.

Reduction of hexaammineruthenium(III) ions by a series of tris(polypyridyl)chromium(II) ions – Revisiting the Cr(NN)33+/2+ self-exchange rate

The kinetics of the outer-sphere oxidation of Cr(NN)32+ ions (NN = 2,2'-bipyridine, 1,10-phenanthroline, and their substituted analogs) by hexaammineruthenium(III) was studied using laser flash photolysis. The Cr(NN)32+ ions were generated via the reductive quenching of the *Cr(NN)33+ excited states by oxalate ions or by H2edta2–. The second-order rate constants were found to vary with the driving force of the reaction. The rate constants increase from (7.1 ± 0.5) × 106 M–1 s–1 for Cr(5-Clphen)32+ to (2.6 ± 0.2) × 108 M–1 s–1 for Cr(4,7-Me2phen)32+. The self-exchange rate constant for the couple (Cr(NN)33+/2+) was calculated by applying Marcus cross relation to present and other known reactions of Cr(NN)3n+ ions, where n = 3 or 2 with various reactants and is estimated to be (6 ± 4) × 107 M–1 s–1.Key words: tris(polypyridyl)chromium(II)/(III) self-exchange rate, hexaammineruthenium(III), oxidation of Cr(NN)32+.