Synthesis and optical properties of antimony(v) complexes of a trianionic N2O2-type tetradentate dipyrrin ligand

Abstract

LSbCl₂, an air- and moisture-stable antimony(V)–dipyrrin complex at room temperature, was obtained by treating an excess amount (20 eq.) of SbCl₃ with a trianionic N₂O₂-type tetradentate dipyrrin ligand (L) under visible-light irradiation and O₂ atmosphere. The Cl ligands in LSbCl₂ were replaced by OH ligands via hydrolysis, yielding LSb(OH)₂. Further, the molecular structures and optical properties of the Sb(V)–dippyrin complexes were investigated. While LSbCl₂ was non-fluorescent, LSb(OH)₂ exhibited an intense red fluorescence with a photoluminescence quantum yield of 68%.