Ru2+ complexes comprising terpyridineligands appended with terthiophenechromophores: energy transfer and energy reservoir effect

Abstract

Two Ru²⁺ complexes containing terpyridine ligands appended with terthiophene units connected by a methyleneoxy or an alkynyl bridge show very different luminescent behaviours: the former is non-luminescent at 298 K owing to a photoinduced energy transfer process to the terthiophene moiety, while the latter exhibits an extraordinary long excited state lifetime because of an energy reservoir effect.