Functionalized O-alkyldithiocarbonates: a new class of ligands designed for luminescent heterometallic materials.

The new ligand 4-PyCH(2)OCS(2)Na, that combines two different donor groups in one molecule (a soft -CS(2)(-) group and a hard pyridine moiety), has been synthesized. The ligand coordinates to a [(bipy)Re(CO)(3)](+) center in a monodentate fashion through one of its soft sulfur atoms, leaving the hard pyridine terminus free for further coordination chemistry. Using a Ni(II) dithiophosphonate linker, the heterometallic {[CH(3)OCH(2)CH(2)OP(An)S(2)](2)Ni}[4-PyCH(2)OCS(2)Re(bipy)(CO)(3)](2) complex is obtained, through the coordination of two pyridine groups to the Ni(II) center. This simple, high-yield stepwise strategy toward heterometallic complexes could be easily transferable to other 1,1-dithiolate ligands and used in combination with a large variety of luminescent metallic systems.