Five-order-of-magnitude reduction of the triplet lifetimes of N-heterocycles by complexation to a trinuclear mercury complex. Academic Article uri icon

abstract

  • The complexation of N-methylcarbazole and N-methylindole by trimeric perfluoro-o-phenylene mercury (1), which can be readily observed in CH2Cl2 solution, leads to the formation of [1.N-methylindole] (2) and [1.N-methylcarbazole] (3) as solid adducts. The solid-state photoluminescence spectra of these adducts show intense emission bands attributed to monomer phosphorescence of N-methylindole and N-methylcarbazole, respectively, with microsecond lifetimes. Remarkably, the triplet lifetimes of the heterocycles in 2 and 3 are shortened by 5 orders of magnitude when compared to those of the free heterocycles. These results are rationalized by invoking the combined external and internal spin-orbit coupling perturbation provided by the mercury and nitrogen atoms.

published proceedings

  • J Am Chem Soc

author list (cited authors)

  • Burress, C., Elbjeirami, O., Omary, M. A., & Gabbai, F. P.

citation count

  • 58

complete list of authors

  • Burress, Charlotte||Elbjeirami, Oussama||Omary, Mohammad A||Gabbaiï, François P

publication date

  • September 2005