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Gold(I) Styrylbenzene, Distyrylbenzene, and Distyrylnaphthalene Complexes: High Emission Quantum Yields at Room Temperature
Author(s) -
Gao Lei,
Niedzwiecki Daniel S.,
Deligonul Nihal,
Zeller Matthias,
Hunter Allen D.,
Gray Thomas G.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
chemistry – a european journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.687
H-Index - 242
eISSN - 1521-3765
pISSN - 0947-6539
DOI - 10.1002/chem.201102502
Subject(s) - chemistry , conjugated system , naphthalene , benzene , photochemistry , luminescence , fluorescence , ring (chemistry) , organic chemistry , materials science , physics , optoelectronics , quantum mechanics , polymer
One gold(I)‐substituted styrylbenzene, six digold(I) distyrylbenzenes, one tetragold distyrylbenzene, and four digold distyrylnaphthalene complexes were synthesized using base‐promoted auration, alkynylation, triazolate formation, and Horner–Wadsworth–Emmons reactions. The gold(I) fragments are either σ‐bonded to the aromatic system, or they are attached through an alkynyl or triazolate spacer. Product formation was monitored using 31 P{ 1 H} NMR spectroscopy. Systems in which gold(I) binds to the central benzene ring or the terminal phenyl rings were designed. All of these complexes have strong ultraviolet absorptions and emit blue light. The position of the gold(I) attachment influences the luminescence efficiency. Complexes with two gold(I) fragments attached to the ends of the conjugated system have fluorescence quantum yields up to 0.94, when using 7‐diethylamino‐4‐methylcoumarin as the emission standard. Density‐functional theory calculations on three high‐yielding emitters suggest that luminescence originates from the distyrylbenzene or ‐naphthalene bridge.