Chiral Eu Research Articles

Interplay of Circularly Polarized Light with Molecular and Structural Chirality: Chiral Lanthanide Complexes and Cellulose Nanocrystals

AbstractThe interaction of circularly polarized (CP) light with chiral matter at different scales opens several possibilities of light manipulation in photonic and electronic devices. Here it is shown that in a multilayer architecture, it is possible to take advantage of the polarization‐selective reflection of the nematic arrangement of cellulose nanocrystals and the strong intrinsic CP luminescence (CPL) of the various bands of chiral Eu complexes. In this way, both the intrinsic CPL and total emission of the complex are modified depending on the enantiomer applied and on the detection geometry. This concept may apply for polarization control in electronic and photonic devices and polarized optical cavities.

Chiral Tetrakis Eu(III) Complexes with Ammonium Cations for Improved Circularly Polarized Luminescence

AbstractLarge dissymmetry factor of the circularly polarized luminescence (gCPL) was observed in ligand and coordination tuned chiral tetrakis europium (Eu(III)) complexes with ammonium cations. The gCPL value was estimated to be −1.54, which is the largest among chiral luminescent molecules. Through photophysical measurements, single crystal X‐ray structural analyses and quantum chemical calculations, changes in the geometric and electronic structures were observed for a series of chiral tetrakis Eu(III) complexes which enhanced the gCPL value. The emission quantum yield and photosensitized energy transfer efficiencies of chiral Eu(III) complexes with ammonium cations were also larger than those of chiral Eu(III) complex with Cs+. Based on the systematic modifications and analyses for chiral tetrakis Eu(III) complex, effect of the ammonium cation on enhanced CPL brightness is reported.

Chiral Tetrakis Eu(III) Complexes with Ammonium Cations for Improved Circularly Polarized Luminescence.

Large dissymmetry factor of the circularly polarized luminescence (gCPL) was observed in ligand and coordination tuned chiral tetrakis europium (Eu(III)) complexes with ammonium cations. The gCPL value was estimated to be -1.54, which is the largest among chiral luminescent molecules. Through photophysical measurements, single crystal X-ray structural analyses and quantum chemical calculations, changes in the geometric and electronic structures were observed for a series of chiral tetrakis Eu(III) complexes which enhanced the gCPL value. The emission quantum yield and photosensitized energy transfer efficiencies of chiral Eu(III) complexes with ammonium cations were also larger than those of chiral Eu(III) complex with Cs+. Based on the systematic modifications and analyses for chiral tetrakis Eu(III) complex, effect of the ammonium cation on enhanced CPL brightness is reported.

Two-Photon Circularly Polarized Luminescence of Chiral Eu Complexes.

We report the synthesis of chiral lanthanide complexes with extended π conjugation for efficient circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) via two-photon excitation (2PE). The pyridine bis-oxazoline (PyBox) core provides the chiral Ln3+ environment, while the extension of the conjugated backbone through the pyridine 4-position with a phenylacetylene unit increases the two-photon absorption cross section. This work presents an important step toward the development of chiral systems displaying enhanced nonlinear optical properties, with potential applications in imaging and sensing, as well as in photodynamic therapy due to the selective excitation of molecules within a specific focal volume.

Enhanced circularly polarized luminescence of chiral Eu(III) coordination polymers with structural strain.

Three types of Eu(III) coordination polymers with different distorted chiral ligands, [Eu(+tfc)3(p-dpeb)]n, [Eu(+pfc)3(p-dpeb)]n, and [Eu(+hfc)3(p-dpeb)]n (+tfc: (+)-3-(trifluoroacetyl)camphorate, +pfc: (+)-3-(pentafluoropropionyl)camphorate, +hfc: (+)-3-(heptafluorobutyryl)camphorate, p-dpeb: 1,4-bis(diphenylphosphorylethynyl)benzene), were prepared for elucidating the relationship between their structural distortions, ligand-to-metal charge transfer (LMCT), and circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) properties. Their strain factors in the ligands were evaluated using crystallographic data obtained by single-crystal X-ray structural analyses. The characteristics of the LMCT excited states were estimated from theoretical calculations. The introduction of a bulky substituent into the chiral ligand afforded a distorted structure of β-diketonates and changed the direction of the transition electric dipole moments, which are related to the magnitude of the CPL intensity. The CPL dissymmetry factor (gCPL) of [Eu(+hfc)3(p-dpeb)]n, with a large distorted structure, was -0.22, while those of [Eu(+tfc)3(p-dpeb)]n and [Eu(+pfc)3(p-dpeb)]n, with small distorted structures, were -0.05 and -0.10, respectively. The controlled steric hindrance of the chiral ligands in Eu(III) coordination polymers is one of the strain factors enhancing their CPL properties.

Asymmetric Lumino-Transformer: Circularly Polarized Luminescence of Chiral Eu(III) Coordination Polymer with Phase-Transition Behavior.

A chiral Eu(III) coordination polymer with phase-transition behavior, [Eu(+tfc)3(m-dpeb)]n, (+tfc: (+)-3-trifluoroacetylcamphorato, m-dpeb: 1,3-bis(diphenylphosphorylethynyl)benzene) was reported for understanding the effect of polymer chain arrangement (orientation effect) on the circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) in a solid system. The phase-transition behavior of the transformable Eu(III) coordination polymer was characterized using differential scanning calorimetry and powder X-ray diffraction. The Eu(III) coordination polymer exhibited phase transition at approximately 180 °C. The magnitude of the CPL intensity was drastically changed because of the phase transition, without coordination geometrical change around the Eu(III) ion. In this study, the orientation effect of a chiral Eu(III) coordination polymer on the CPL properties in crystalline solid is demonstrated.

Chiral Emissive Lanthanide Complexes from Enantiopure [6]Helicene‐bis(pyrazolyl)‐pyridine Ligands

AbstractEnantiopure helicene‐based bis(pyrazol‐1‐yl)pyridine (bpp‐[6]helicene), with the helicene unit in position 4 of the pyridine ring, have been prepared and structurally characterized. Their chiroptical properties have been studied experimentally, and both absorption and circular dichroism (CD) spectra have been reproduced theoretically by time‐dependent density functional theory (TDDFT). Remarkably, in spite of the remote localization of the helicene with respect to the coordination pocket of the bpp motif, chiral Eu(III) complexes based on these ligands show, however, circularly polarized luminescence in the visible region, sustained by TDDFT and CASSCF calculations, which also emphasize the possible antenna effect of the bpp ligand.

Chiral nanostructures derived from europium(iii) complexes for enhanced circularly polarised luminescence and antibacterial activity

Nanostructures formed from chiral Eu(iii) complexes exhibit enhanced chiral luminescence and antibacterial activity.

Anion‐Dependent Outstanding Luminescence Enhancement of Eu(D‐facam)3 Upon Coexistence With the Tetramethylammonium Cation

The effect of a series of tetramethylammonium salts with different counter anions on the photophysical properties of a chiral Eu(III) complex (Eu(D-facam)3 ) was investigated. Anion-dependent luminescence of the Eu(III) complex was observed, and particularly in the presence of acetate ions, an outstanding luminescence enhancement (>300 times) and induced circularly polarized luminescence (glum =-0.63) were obtained. The energy transfer process was then evaluated using key photophysical parameters, and it was found that the sensitisation efficiency of the Eu(III) complex significantly increased in the presence of tetramethylammonium acetate (TMAOAc). The interactions between Eu(D-facam)3 and TMAOAc were confirmed by luminescence analysis, circular dichroism spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and mass spectral measurements.

Chiroptical property enhancement of chiral Eu(III) complex upon association with DNA-CTMA

DNA-based materials have attracted much attention due to their unique photo-functional properties and potential applications in various fields such as luminescent and biological systems, nanodevices, etc. In this study, the photophysical properties of a chiral Eu(III) complex, namely (Eu(D-facam)3), within DNA films were extensively investigated. The enhancement of photoluminescence (more than 25-folds increase of luminescence quantum yield) and degree of circularly polarization in luminescence (glum = − 0.6) was observed upon interaction with DNA. Various photophysical analyses suggested that the emission enhancement was mainly due to an increase of the sensitization efficiency (high ηsens) from the ligands to Eu(III) and suppression of the vibrational deactivation upon immobilization onto the DNA molecule. From CD and VCD measurements, it was suggested that the coordination structure of Eu(D-facam)3 was affected by the interaction with DNA, suggesting that the structural change of Eu(D-facam)3 contributed to the improvement of its luminescent properties.

Steric and Electronic Control of Chiral Eu(III) Complexes for Effective Circularly Polarized Luminescence.

Circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) is characterized by the differential emission of right and left circularly polarized light by a chiral molecule. This mini-review describes the recent developments in chiral trivalent europium (Eu(III)) complexes with effective CPL. CPL has many potential applications in security tags, lasers, and three-dimensional organic electroluminescence devices, which is one of the most intensely investigated topics in molecular luminophores. Eu(III) complexes have attracted considerable attention as effective CPL luminophores for the above-mentioned applications. In this review, recent studies on the Eu(III) CPL, including the steric (dimer, tetramer, aggregates, and coordination polymers) and electronic control (mononuclear) of Eu(III) complexes for the construction of a luminophore with effective CPL, are discussed. The characteristic CPL applications employing the chiral mononuclear Eu(III) complexes are also described. Chiral Eu(III) complexes with well-designed organic ligands can result in the establishment of new research areas in the fields of photochemistry and materials science.

Electronic strain effect on Eu(iii) complexes for enhanced circularly polarized luminescence.

Luminescent Eu(iii) complexes with point-chiral phosphine oxide ligands, [Eu(hfa)3((R,R)-B2QPO)] (hfa: hexafluoroacetylacetonato, B2QPO: 2,3-bis(tert-butylmethylphosphine oxide)quinoxaline) and [Eu(hfa)3((R)-B3QPO)] (B3QPO: 2-tert-butylmethylphosphine oxide-3-(di-tert-butylphosphineoxide)quinoxaline), are reported for the investigation of the electronic strain effect on the coordination sphere. Single crystal X-ray crystallography reveals the strong structural strain of the hfa ligands in [Eu(hfa)3((R,R)-B2QPO)]. The emission quantum yields of [Eu(hfa)3((R,R)-B2QPO)] in solution (55%) and solid (63%) are comparable to those of previously reported bright luminescent Eu(iii) complexes. The chiroptical properties of [Eu(hfa)3((R,R)-B2QPO)] and [Eu(hfa)3((R)-B3QPO)] were characterized using circular dichroism (CD) and circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) spectra. The dissymmetry factor of [Eu(hfa)3((R,R)-B2QPO)] was estimated to be 0.08. The chiroptical phenomena of the Eu(iii) complexes are closely related to their structural (geometry) and electronic (LMCT: ligand-to-metal charge transfer) strains.

Photo-luminescent chiral carbon-dot@Eu(D-cam) nanocomposites for selectively luminescence sensing of l-phenylalanine

Currently the detection of l-phenylalanine is quite important in clinicians, which can be applied as a simple quantitative method to diagnose phenylketonuria, a common inherited disorder of amino acid metabolism. In this work, a novel chiral fluorescence hybrid probe [email protected](D-cam) [CDs = Carbon-dot; D-cam = (1R, 3S)-(+)-Camphoric acid] can be successfully prepared through the encapsulation of the ultra-small carbon dots into the chiral Eu(D-cam) coordination framework to prepare the hybrid luminescent composites. The as-prepared fluorescent probe possesses good optical properties and solvent-stability, which has the potential to serve as a chemical sensor. The [email protected](D-cam) fluorescent probe behaves good liner response to l-phenylalanine (L-phe) ranging from 3.3 to 27.532 mg/L and the detection limit is 0.00703 mg/L (S/N = 3). The current detection method can be successfully developed into the real sample discrimination of l-phenylalanine in urine.

Group Theoretical Lines of Nodes in Triplet Chiral Superconductor Sr2RuO4

Cooper pair wavefunctions for chiral triplet (p-wave) superconductor Sr2RuO4 were considered making use of the spin-space group approach, and the states similar to A and B phases of 3He belonging to IRs (irreducible representations) of D4h group are constructed making use of projection operator technique. Group theoretical lines of nodes were obtained for space-group analog of B phase. In this case nodal and nodeless one-dimensional states belong to the same IR, and differ by spin projection on vertical plane. Four chiral states, similar to A phase and belonging to complex IR Eu, are classified by the label of one-dimensional even IR. These states are non-unitary and differ by nodal structures and momentum projections on vertical axis. It was obtained that for each vertical plane of symmetry nodal and nodeless chiral states of Eu symmetry are possible. This means that there are no so called symmetry protected lines of nodes on vertical planes for chiral Eu states, but experimental vertical lines of nodes in Sr2RuO4 do not contradict with general group theoretical consideration. The results are in agreement with experimental nodal structure and may be used as alternative initial basis in microscopic and phenomenological theories of superconductivity in Sr2RuO4.

Spiral Eu(iii) coordination polymers with circularly polarized luminescence

A spiral-type chiral Eu(iii) coordination polymer showed strong luminescence (emission quantum yield Φf-f = 57% and photosensitized energy transfer efficiency ηsens = 53%) and effective CD and CPL properties (gCPL = 0.17) when compared with a mono-nuclear chiral Eu(iii) complex in the solid state (Φf-f = 36%, ηsens = 14%, and gCPL = 0.09).

The effect of the linker size in C2-symmetrical chiral ligands on the self-assembly formation of luminescent triple-stranded di-metallic Eu(iii) helicates in solution.

Chiral lanthanide-based supramolecular structures have gained significant importance in view of their application in imaging, sensing and other functional purposes. We have designed chiral C2-symmetrical ligands (L) based on the use of two 2,6-pyridine-dicarboxylic-amide moieties (pda), that differ from one another by the nature of the diamine spacer groups (from 1,3-phenylenedimethanamine (1(S,S), 2(R,R)) and benzene-1,3-diamine (3(S,S), 4(R,R)) to much bulkier 4,4'-(cyclohexane-1,1-diyl)bis(2,6-dimethylaniline) (5(S,S), 6(R,R))) between these two pda units. The self-assembly between L and Eu(iii) ions were investigated in CH3CN solution at low concentration whereby the changes in the absorbance, fluorescence and Eu(iii)-centred emission spectra allowed us to model the binding equilibria occurring in the solution to the presence of [Eu:L2], [Eu2:L2], [Eu2:L3] assemblies and reveal their high binding constant values. The self-assembly in solution were also studied at higher concentration by following the changes in the 1H NMR spectra of the ligands upon Eu(iii) addition, as well as by using MALDI-MS of the isolated solid state complexes. The chiroptical properties of the ligands were used in order to study the structural changes upon self-assembly between the ligands and Eu(iii) ions using circular dichroism (CD) and circularly polarised luminescence (CPL) spectroscopies. The photophysical properties of [Eu2:L3] complexes were evaluated in solution and showed a decrease of luminescence quantum yield when going from the ligand with smaller (1(S,S)) to bulkier (5(S,S)) linker from ∼5.8% to ∼2.6%. While mass-spectrometry revealed the possible formation of trinucler assemblies such as [Eu3:L3] and [Eu3:L2].

Luminescent chiral Eu(III) complexes with enantiopure bis(1H-pyridin-2-one)salen ligands

A pair of chiral Eu(III) complexes prepared from enantiopure bis(1H-pyridin-2-one)salen ligands show strong sensitized luminescence and high circular dichroism activity in the region of π–π∗ transitions.

Circularly polarized luminescence under near-UV excitation and structural elucidation of a Eu complex.

A new chiral diketonate ligand based on carvone binds early lanthanides. The Eu complex displays high circularly polarized (g(lum) = 0.82) red luminescence under near-UV excitation in the solid state. This is the first report on such CPL activity in the solid state with a rigorous protocol to exclude artifacts. Paramagnetic NMR spectroscopy revealed the nature and structure of the active species.

Nona-Coordinated Chiral Eu(III) Complexes with Stereoselective Ligand–Ligand Noncovalent Interactions for Enhanced Circularly Polarized Luminescence

Circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) of chiral Eu(III) complexes with nona- and octa-coordinated structures, [Eu(R/S-iPr-Pybox)(D-facam)(3)] (1-R/1-S; R/S-iPr-Pybox, 2,6-bis(4R/4S-isopropyl-2-oxazolin-2-yl)pyridine; D-facam, 3-trifluoroacetyl-d-camphor), [Eu(S,S-Me-Ph-Pybox)(D-facam)(3)] (2-SS; S,S-Me-Ph-Pybox, 2,6-bis(4S-methyl-5S-phenyl-2-oxazolin-2-yl)pyridine), and [Eu(Phen)(D-facam)(3)] (3; Phen, 1,10-phenanthroline) are reported, and their structural features are discussed on the basis of X-ray crystallographic analyses. These chiral Eu(III) complexes showed relatively intense photoluminescence due to their (5)D(0) → (7)F(1) (magnetic-dipole) and (5)D(0) → (7)F(2) (electric-dipole) transition. The dissymmetry factors of CPL (g(CPL)) at the former band of 1-R and 1-S were as large as -1.0 and -0.8, respectively, while the g(CPL) of 3 at the (5)D(0) → (7)F(1) transition was relatively small (g(CPL) = -0.46). X-ray crystallographic data indicated specific ligand-ligand hydrogen bonding in these compounds which was expected to stabilize their chiral structures even in solution phase. CPL properties of 1-R and 1-S were discussed in terms of transition nature of lanthanide luminescence.

Chiroptical Spectra of a Series of Tetrakis((+)-3-heptafluorobutylyrylcamphorato)lanthanide(III) with an Encapsulated Alkali Metal Ion: Circularly Polarized Luminescence and Absolute Chiral Structures for the Eu(III) and Sm(III) Complexes

The luminescence and circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) spectra of M(I)[Eu((+)-hfbc)(4)] show a similar behavior to the exciton CD in the intraligand π-π* transitions when the alkali metal ions and solvents are manipulated. There is a difference in susceptibility in solvation toward the alkali metal ions but not toward the Eu(III) ion, as in the case of axially symmetric DOTA-type compounds. The remarkable CPL in the 4f-4f transitions provide much more information on the stereospecific formation of chiral Eu(III) complexes, since CPL spectroscopy is limited to luminescent species and reflects selectively toward helicity of the local structural environment around the lanthanide(III). While in comparison, exciton CD reveals the chiral structural information from the helical arrangement of the four bladed chelates. Of special importance, the observation of the highest CPL activities measured to date for lanthanide(III)-containing compounds (i.e., Eu and Sm) in solution supports the theory that the chirality of lanthanide(III) in the excited state corresponds to that in the ground state, which was derived from the exciton CD.