Luminescent Metallophilic Complexes in Coordination Chemistry
Summary
Luminescent metallophilic complexes represent a burgeoning class of coordination compounds characterised by close-range, non-covalent interactions between d10 metal centres, such as gold(I), copper(I) or heavy post-transition metals. These metal–metal contacts, often shorter than the sum of van der Waals radii, engender unique electronic communication pathways that facilitate radiative decay from excited states, yielding distinct emission spectra across the visible to near-infrared regions. The interplay between ligand design, oxidation states and crystal packing underpins both the strength of metallophilic interactions and the photophysical properties of these assemblies. Recent advances in synthetic strategies, including the incorporation of rigid macrocyclic scaffolds, phosphide bridges or perhalogenated aryl ligands, have enabled fine-tuning of emission wavelengths, quantum yields and stimuli-responsive behaviour. Such complexes have found applications in organic light-emitting diodes, sensing platforms and bioimaging. An understanding of the structure–property relationships, informed by spectroscopic and computational analyses, is essential for harnessing metallophilicity to produce robust, high-performance luminophores with tailored functionalities.
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Luminescent Metallophilic Complexes in Coordination Chemistry publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in luminescent metallophilic complexes in coordination chemistry across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Metallophilic interaction: A non-covalent force between closed-shell metal centres that is shorter than van der Waals contacts, facilitating electronic coupling.
Coordination complex: An assembly of a central metal atom or ion bonded to surrounding ligands via coordinate (dative) bonds.
Luminescence: Emission of light by a substance following absorption of energy, occurring via radiative decay of excited electronic states.
Heteronuclear complex: A coordination compound containing two or more different metal species within the same assembly.
Phosphide bridge: A ligand feature where a phosphorus atom connects two metal centres, often enhancing structural rigidity and electronic communication.
References
- Perhalophenyl–Phosphide: A Couple Needed to Stabilize Phosphide–Gold Complexes. Inorganics (2024).
- Heteronuclear Gold(I)‐Copper(I) Complexes with Thia‐ and Mixed Thia‐Aza Macrocyclic Ligands: Synthesis, Structures and Optical Properties. ChemPlusChem (2023).
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