Tuning the Lifetimes of Excited States in Transition Metal Complexes

KATZ, NÉSTOR E.

San Miguel de Tucumán

Simposio; Coloquio de Fotoquímica y Fotobiología; 2006

DAAD

The control of the lifetimes of metal-to-ligand charge transfer (MLCT) excited states in transition metal complexes is a fundamental issue in the design of photochemical molecular devices, such as sensitized solar cells, molecular switches, sensors of photochemical properties and so on. Some recent results on the increase of lifetimes of MLCT excited states, brought about in ruthenium polypyridines and rhenium tricarbonyls by using 5-cyano-1,10-phenanthroline as the most easily reduced acceptor ligand, will be described. On the other hand, the application of novel chromophore-quencher rhenium tricarbonyl complexes as pH sensors will be discussed, as well as the dramatic change of lifetimes caused by inverting the ordering of energy levels for the lowest-lying excited states in these complexes. Finally, the solvent-tuning of the lifetimes of excited states in ruthenium cyanide complexes will be addressed.