Computational Studies on the Excited States of Luminescent Platinum(II) Alkynyl Systems of Tridentate Pincer Ligands in Radiative and Nonradiative Processes

Platinum(II) alkynyl complexes of various tridentate pincer ligands, [Pt(trpy)(C≡CR)](+) (trpy = 2,2':6',2″-terpyridine), [Pt(R'-bzimpy)(C≡CR)](+) (R'-bzimpy = 2,6-bis(N-alkylbenzimidazol-2'-yl)pyridine and R' = alkyl), [Pt(R'-bzimb)(C≡CR)] (R'-bzimb = 1,3-bis(N-alkylbenzimidazol-2'-yl)benzene and R' = C4H9), have been found to possess rich photophysical properties. The emission in dilute solutions of [Pt(trpy)(C≡CR)](+) originated from a triplet alkynyl-to-tridentate pincer ligand-to-ligand charge transfer (LLCT) excited state, with mixing of a platinum-to-tridentate pincer ligand metal-to-ligand charge transfer (MLCT) excited state, while that of [Pt(R'-bzimb)(C≡CR)] originated from a triplet excited state of intraligand (IL) character of the tridentate ligand mixed with a platinum-to-tridentate ligand MLCT character. Interestingly, both emissions were observed in [Pt(R'-bzimpy)(C≡CR)](+) in some cases. In addition, [Pt(R'-bzimb)(C≡CR)] displayed a photoluminescence quantum yield higher than that of [Pt(R'-bzimpy)(C≡CR)](+). Computational studies have been performed on the representative complexes [Pt(trpy)(C≡CPh)](+) (1), [Pt(R'-bzimpy)(C≡CPh)](+) (2), and [Pt(R'-bzimb)(C≡CPh)] (3), where R' = CH3 and Ph = C6H5, to provide an in-depth understanding of the nature of their emissive origin as well as the radiative and nonradiative processes. In particular, the factors governing the ordering of the triplet excited states and radiative decay rate constants of the emissive state ((3)ES) have been examined. The potential energy profiles for the deactivation process from the (3)ES via triplet metal-centered ((3)MC) states have also been explored. This work reveals for the first time the potential energy profiles for the thermal deactivation pathway of square planar platinum(II) complexes.