Pt(II) dbbpy bisacetylide (dbbpy = 4,4′-di(tert-butyl)-2,2′-bipyridine) complex (Pt-1) with two different Bodipy ligands was prepared with the goal to attain broad-band visible light absorbing, efficient funneling of the photoexcitation energy (via resonance energy transfer, RET) to the energy acceptor and high triplet formation quantum yields. Construction of the above-mentioned molecular structural motif is challenging because two different arylacetylide ligands are incorporated in the complex; normally two homoleptic acetylide ligands were used for this kind of N∧N Pt(II) complexes. A reference complex with trans bis(tributylphosphine) Pt(II) bisacetylide protocol (Pt-4) was prepared for comparison of the photophysical properties. The two different Bodipy ligands in Pt-1 and Pt-4 constitute singlet/triplet energy donor/acceptor, as a result the harvested photoexcitation energy can be funneled to the triplet state confined on one of the two Bodipy ligands. The photophysical properties of the complexes were studied with steady state UV–vis absorption and luminescence spectroscopies, femto- and nanosecond transient absorption spectroscopies, cyclic voltammetry, as well as DFT/TDDFT calculations. Fluorescence/phosphorescence dual emission were observed for the complex. The ultrafast intramolecular singlet/triplet energy transfer in Pt-1 was confirmed by the transient absorption spectroscopy (kFRET = 2.6 × 1011 s–1, ΦFRET = 87.1%) followed by an intersystem crossing (kISC = 1.9 × 1010 s–1), and the triplet state lifetime (τT) is 54.1 μs. The reference complex Pt-4 shows drastically different kinetics with kFRET = 6.9 × 1010 s–1, ΦFRET = 81.0%, kISC = 5.83 × 109 s–1, and τT = 147.9 μs. Different singlet oxygen (1O2) quantum yields (ΦΔ = 75% and 70%) and triplet state quantum yields (ΦT = 91% and 69%, respectively) were observed for complexes Pt-1 and Pt-4.

Bodipy is used for the preparation of Pt(II) bisacetylide complexes which show strong absorption of visible light and long-lived triplet state. Room temperature (RT) near-IR phosphorescence of Bodipy was observed. The π-conjugation framework of visible light-harvesting Bodipy ligand was connected to the Pt(II) center by the CC bond. The complexes were used as triplet photosensitizers for triplet–triplet annihilation (TTA) upconversion.

Bodipy is used for the preparation of Pt(II) bisacetylide complexes which show strong absorption of visible light and long-lived triplet state. Room temperature (RT) near-IR phosphorescence of Bodipy was observed. The π-conjugation framework of visible light-harvesting Bodipy ligand was connected to the Pt(II) center by the CC bond. The complexes were used as triplet photosensitizers for triplet–triplet annihilation (TTA) upconversion.

A rhodamine moiety was used for the preparation of trans bis(tributylphosphine) Pt(II) bisacetylide complexes (RH-BDPY-Pt-1 and RH-BDPY-Pt-2, with two different Bodipy acetylide ligands), which show acid/base-switchable photophysical properties. The rhodamine moiety undergoes reversible spirolactam ↔ opened amide structure transformation in the presence of an acid/base. Bodipy ligands are responsible for strong visible light-harvesting. The photophysical properties of the Pt(II) complexes were studied with steady state UV–Vis absorption, luminescence spectra, nanosecond transient absorption spectroscopy, electrochemical characterization and DFT/TDDFT computations. In the absence of an acid, the complexes show the absorption of Bodipy ligands at 580 nm and 500 nm, respectively. Both complexes show fluorescence. A minor phosphorescence band was observed for RH-BDPY-Pt-1. In the presence of trifluoroacetic acid (TFA), the spirolactam → opened amide transformation occurred and the absorption of the rhodamine moiety at 570 nm appeared; colour changes were observed for the solutions of the complexes. Moreover, the fluorescence of the complexes was switched on. Long-lived triplet excited states were observed for the two complexes (35 μs and 423 μs, respectively, in dichloromethane). Upon the addition of TFA, the triplet state lifetime of RH-BDPY-Pt-1 was substantially prolonged to 80 μs from 35 μs (the triplet state of RH-BDPY-Pt-1 is localized on the Bodipy moiety); for RH-BDPY-Pt-2, however, the triplet state is switched from the Bodipy-confined triplet state to a triplet state delocalized on the Bodipy and rhodamine moiety. Thus both the singlet excited state and the triplet state of the Pt(II) complexes were switched upon the addition of an acid. The photophysical properties were rationalized with DFT/TDDFT calculations. These results on tuning of the photophysical properties of Pt(II) complexes with a rhodamine moiety may be useful for designing external stimuli-activatable transition metal complexes.

A rhodamine moiety was used for the preparation of trans bis(tributylphosphine) Pt(II) bisacetylide complexes (RH-BDPY-Pt-1 and RH-BDPY-Pt-2, with two different Bodipy acetylide ligands), which show acid/base-switchable photophysical properties. The rhodamine moiety undergoes reversible spirolactam ↔ opened amide structure transformation in the presence of an acid/base. Bodipy ligands are responsible for strong visible light-harvesting. The photophysical properties of the Pt(II) complexes were studied with steady state UV–Vis absorption, luminescence spectra, nanosecond transient absorption spectroscopy, electrochemical characterization and DFT/TDDFT computations. In the absence of an acid, the complexes show the absorption of Bodipy ligands at 580 nm and 500 nm, respectively. Both complexes show fluorescence. A minor phosphorescence band was observed for RH-BDPY-Pt-1. In the presence of trifluoroacetic acid (TFA), the spirolactam → opened amide transformation occurred and the absorption of the rhodamine moiety at 570 nm appeared; colour changes were observed for the solutions of the complexes. Moreover, the fluorescence of the complexes was switched on. Long-lived triplet excited states were observed for the two complexes (35 μs and 423 μs, respectively, in dichloromethane). Upon the addition of TFA, the triplet state lifetime of RH-BDPY-Pt-1 was substantially prolonged to 80 μs from 35 μs (the triplet state of RH-BDPY-Pt-1 is localized on the Bodipy moiety); for RH-BDPY-Pt-2, however, the triplet state is switched from the Bodipy-confined triplet state to a triplet state delocalized on the Bodipy and rhodamine moiety. Thus both the singlet excited state and the triplet state of the Pt(II) complexes were switched upon the addition of an acid. The photophysical properties were rationalized with DFT/TDDFT calculations. These results on tuning of the photophysical properties of Pt(II) complexes with a rhodamine moiety may be useful for designing external stimuli-activatable transition metal complexes.

Photophysical data and orbital energy levels (from electrochemistry) were compared for molecules with the same BODIPY acceptor part (red) and perpendicularly oriented xanthene or BODIPY donor fragments (green). Transfer of energy, hence the photophysical properties of the cassettes, including the pH dependent fluorescence in the xanthene-containing molecules, correlates with the relative energies of the frontier orbitals in these systems. Intracellular sensing of protons is often achieved via sensors that switch off completely at certain pH values, but probes of this type are not easy to locate inside cells in their “off-state”. A communication from these laboratories (J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2009, 131, 1642–3) described how the energy transfer cassette 1 could be used for intracellular imaging of pH. This probe is fluorescent whatever the pH, but its exact photophysical properties are governed by the protonation states of the xanthene donors. This work was undertaken to further investigate correlations between structure, photophysical properties, and pH for energy transfer cassettes. To achieve this, three other cassettes 2–4 were prepared: another one containing pH-sensitive xanthene donors (2) and two “control cassettes” that each have two BODIPY-based donors (3 and 4). Both the cassettes 1 and 2 with xanthene-based donors fluoresce red under slightly acidic conditions (pH < ∼6) and green when the medium is more basic (>∼7), whereas the corresponding cassettes with BODIPY donors give almost complete energy transfer regardless of pH. The cassettes that have BODIPY donors, by contrast, show no significant fluorescence from the donor parts, but the overall quantum yields of the cassettes when excited at the donor (observation of acceptor fluorescence) are high (ca. 0.6 and 0.9). Electrochemical measurements were performed to elucidate orbital energy level differences between the pH–fluorescence profiles of cassettes with xanthene donors, relative to the two with BODIPY donors. These studies confirm energy transfer in the cassettes is dramatically altered by analytes that perturb relative orbital levels. Energy transfer cassettes with distinct fluorescent donor and acceptor units provide a new, and potentially useful, approach to sensors for biomedical applications.