Synthesis, crystal structures and photophysical properties of novel copper(I) complexes with 4-diphenylphosphino-1,5-naphthyridine ligands

Two new copper(I) complexes [Cu(L ¹) ₂]PF ₆ (L ¹ = 4-diphenylphosphino-1,5-naphthyridine, 1) and [Cu(L ²) ₂]PF ₆ (L ² = 4-diphenylphosphino-8- methyl-1,5-naphthyridine, 2), have been prepared and characterized. In each of them, the coordinate geometry of Cu atom is a distorted square planar configuration with bond distances and angles in the normal range. Moreover, compound 2 features one-dimensional zigzag chains which are cross-linked by the metal complex cations and PF ₆ ^- anions through hydrogen bonding interactions. The HOMO-LUMO energy gaps of 1-2 estimated by the cyclic voltammetry (CV) show values in the order of 1 > 2. Both 1 and 2 show low-energy bands ranging from 360 to 430 nm and available florescence in the solid state at room temperature with λ _max = 532-541 nm. The UV-vis absorption spectra of 1-2 show obvious red-shifts compared with those of the corresponding quinoline containing Cu(I) complexes [Cu(QN) ₂]PF ₆ (QN = 8-diphenylphosphino quinoline), exhibiting the HOMO-LUMO energy gaps of 1-2 should be narrower than that of [Cu(QN) ₂]PF ₆.