Molecular Switching In Tricarbonylpolypyridylrhenium(I) Complexes

POURRIEUX, GASTON; FAGALDE, FLORENCIA; KATZ, NÉSTOR E.

Esmolenice

Congreso; XXII. International Conference on Coordination and Bioinorganic Chemistry; 2009

Slovak Chemical Society- Slovak Academic of Sciences- Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava

Mono- and dinuclear complexes containing azpy ( = 4,4?-azobis(pyridine)) coordinated to ReI(bpy)(CO)3 (bpy = 2,2?-bipyridine) have been synthesized and characterized by spectroscopic, electrochemical and photophysical techniques. These species can be applied as ?molecular switches? in nanoscopic devices. Light-induced trans- to cis-isomerization of azpy in [Re(bpy)(CO)3(azpy)]+ leads to a dramatic increase in emission intensity, similar to that already reported for [Re(bpy)(CO)3(bpe)]+ (bpe = trans-1,2-bis(4-pyridyl)ethene). On the other hand, reduction of azpy produces not only a strong change in the UV/visible spectra, but also a considerable increase in the luminescence of both [Re(bpy)(CO)3(azpy)]+ and [(bpy)(CO)3Re(azpy)Re(CO)3(bpy)]2+, as detected by spectroelectrochemical techniques. These processes are more reversible in the latter dinuclear complex, making it a promising candidate to be used in molecular logic gates.