Copper(I) Complexes Bearing 1,2-Phenyl-Bridged P^∧N, P^∧N^∧P, and N^∧P^∧N Chelate Ligands: Structures and Phosphorescence

With the aim to obtain new phosphorescent Cu(I) compounds, several new 1,2-phenyl-bridged P^∧N, P^∧N^∧P, and N^∧P^∧N chelate ligands were designed and synthesized. These ligands were found to form complexes with Cu(I) ion readily via either solution reactions or solid-state grinding process. The new Cu(I) compounds based on this class of ligands display phosphorescence with emission color ranging from blue to red. The structure of the ligand and the nature of the N-heterocycle in the chelate ligands were found to have a significant impact on the phosphorescent properties of the Cu(I) compounds.