Blue phosphors of dinuclear and mononuclear copper(I) and silver(I) complexes of 3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)pyrazolate and the related bis(pyrazolyl)borate.

The synthesis, structure, and photoluminescence properties are described for the three-coordinate mononuclear and dinuclear complexes [H(2)B(3,5-(CF(3))(2)Pz)(2)]M(2,4,6-collidine), M(1)(), and [[3,5-(CF(3))(2)Pz]M(2,4,6-collidine)](2), M(2)(), respectively (M = Cu; Ag). The solids exhibit bright blue phosphorescence, at room temperature for the copper compounds and at 77 K for all compounds. Ag(1)(), Cu(1)(), and Cu(2)() exhibit blue pyrazole-based structured emissions with short phosphorescence lifetimes, 10(1)-10(2) micros, due to an internal heavy-metal effect. Meanwhile, Ag(2)() exhibits curious multiple excitation-dependent emissions.