Phosphorescent iridium(III) complex with an N^O ligand as a Hg(2+)-selective chemodosimeter and logic gate

Yi Liu; Meiyi Li; Qiang Zhao; Huazhou Wu; Kewei Huang; Fuyou Li

doi:10.1021/ic102481x

Phosphorescent iridium(III) complex with an N^O ligand as a Hg(2+)-selective chemodosimeter and logic gate

Inorg Chem. 2011 Jul 4;50(13):5969-77. doi: 10.1021/ic102481x. Epub 2011 Jun 3.

Authors

Yi Liu¹, Meiyi Li, Qiang Zhao, Huazhou Wu, Kewei Huang, Fuyou Li

Affiliation

¹ Department of Chemistry, Fudan University , Shanghai, 200433, PR China.

PMID: 21639129
DOI: 10.1021/ic102481x

Abstract

Phosphorescent iridium(III) complexes have been attracting increasing attention in applications as luminescent chemosensors. However, no instance of an iridium(III) complex being used as a molecular logic gate has hitherto been reported. In the present study, two iridium(III) complexes, [Ir(ppy)(2)(PBT)] and [Ir(ppy)(2)(PBO)], have been synthesized (PBT, 2-(2-Hydroxyphenyl)-benzothiazole; PBO, 2-(2-hydroxyphenyl)-benzoxazole), and their chemical structures have been characterized by single-crystal X-ray analysis. Theoretical calculations and detailed studies of the photophysical and electrochemical properties of these two complexes have shown that the N^O ligands dominate their luminescence emission properties. Moreover, [Ir(ppy)(2)(PBT)], containing a sulfur atom in the N^O ligand, can serve as a highly selective chemodosimeter for Hg(2+) with ratiometric and naked-eye detection, which is associated with the dissociation of the N^O ligand PBT from the complex. Furthermore, complex [Ir(ppy)(2)(PBT)] has been further developed as an AND and INHIBIT logic gate with Hg(2+) and histidine as inputs.