Aggregation of gold(i) complexes: phosphorescence vs. singlet oxygen production

Abstract

Herein we report on the synthesis of six new phosphane-gold(I)-4-ethynylaniline complexes (neutral and cationic), with a tris-naphthalene substituted tertiary phosphane bearing a secondary amine as a linker and containing different halogen groups (Cl and Br) in the naphthyl group. We have demonstrated in this work how the careful control of the intermolecular aggregation process can modulate the competition between phosphorescence emission and energy transfer from the triplet state of the gold(I) complexes to produce singlet oxygen.