Multistimuli-responsive behavior of a phosphorescent Cu3pyrazolate3 complex for luminescent logic gates and encrypted information transformation

Abstract

Multistimuli-responsive luminescent materials, showing obvious alteration of emission colours or intensity toward multiple external stimuli, have attracted extensive interest from researchers for decades, but the tailored synthesis of such materials with a single phase remains a tough challenge. Herein, we investigate a Cu(I) cyclic trinuclear complex with the pyridyl-substituted pyrazolate ligand (denoted as complex 1), manifesting reversible multistimuli-responsive behavior in response to mechanical stimuli, temperature, organic solvents and vapor stimuli related to metal-sensitized ligand-based phosphorescence. In particular, the ground complex 1 showed remarkable alteration of emission colours after contact with CH₂Cl₂ or CHCl₃, thereby photoluminescence sensing towards these two organic molecules was realized. Further taking advantage of this feature, the luminescent AND and IMPLICATION logic gates and microarray data with the function of encrypted information transformation were designed. Experimental and theoretical evidence revealed that the introduction of the pyridyl group provided an effective site to interact with CH₂Cl₂ or CHCl₃, hence affecting the lowest triplet state and finally modulating the emission colours. This work demonstrates an effective route to construct multistimuli-responsive material via the supramolecular interaction of the pyridyl group for the application of logic gates and encrypted information transformation.