Structures and photophysical properties of copper(I) complexes bearing diphenylphenanthroline and bis(diphenylphosphino)alkane: the effect of phenyl groups on the phenanthroline ligand.

A series of copper(I) complexes bearing 2,9-dimethyl-4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline (dmpp) and a diphosphine ligand have been prepared. The diphosphine ligands used have two, three or four methylene carbons between the two phosphorus atoms. The crystallographic study has revealed that two of the three complexes have the mononuclear structure bearing dmpp and a bidentate diphosphine ligand, and one is a diphosphine-bridged binuclear complex. The photoluminescence of the complexes in solution was studied and compared with the previously reported complexes bearing 2,9-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline (dmp). It was found that the two phenyl groups on the phenanthroline ligand have a marked effect on the photophysical properties of the complexes; the intensity of the emission of the complexes is greatly enhanced by the phenyl groups. The photophysics of the complexes is discussed with the results of DFT and TDDFT calculations.