RGB emission of three charged O,N,O-chelate zinc (II) complexes in pyridine solution

Three zinc (II) complexes were synthesized from O,N,O-tridentate ligands with a charged side chain and a different electron withdrawing substituent. Metallated polymers with emission color tuning based on the same ligands moved interest. In the present study we collected information on the coordination environment and on the photoluminescence performance of the related model complexes. In pyridine solution RGB (red-greenblue) emission was achieved by lowering the withdrawing strength of the substituent. Two of the ligands were characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis that revealed the keto form and the shape adopted as uncoordinated molecules.