An Extended Chain and Trinuclear Complexes Based on Pt(II)–M (M = Tl(I), Pb(II)) Bonds: Contrasting Photophysical Behavior

The syntheses and structural characterizations of a Pt–Tl chain [{Pt­(bzq)­(C₆F₅)₂}­Tl­(Me₂CO)]_<i>n</i> <b>1</b> and two trinuclear Pt₂M clusters (NBu₄)­[{Pt­(bzq)­(C₆F₅)₂}₂Tl] <b>2</b> and [{Pt­(bzq)­(C₆F₅)₂}₂Pb] <b>3</b> (bzq = 7,8-benzoquinolinyl), stabilized by donor–acceptor Pt → M bonds, are reported. The one-dimensional heterometallic chain <b>1</b> is formed by alternate “Pt­(bzq)­(C₆F₅)₂” and “Tl­(Me₂CO)” fragments, with Pt–Tl bond separations in the range of 2.961(1)–3.067(1) Å. The isoelectronic trinuclear complexes <b>2</b> (which crystallizes in three forms, namely, <b>2a</b>, <b>2b</b>, and <b>2c</b>) and <b>3</b> present a sandwich structure in which the Tl­(I) or Pb­(II) is located between two “Pt­(bzq)­(C₆F₅)₂” subunits. NMR studies suggest equilibria in solution implying cleavage and reformation of Pt–M bonds. The lowest-lying absorption band in the UV–vis spectra in CH₂Cl₂ and tetrahydrofuran (THF) of <b>1</b>, associated with ¹MLCT/¹L′LCT ¹[5d_π(Pt) → π*­(bzq)]/¹[(C₆F₅) → bzq], displays a blue shift in relation to the precursor, suggesting the cleavage of the chain maintaining bimetallic Pt–Tl fragments in solution, also supported by NMR spectroscopy. In <b>2</b> and <b>3</b>, it shows a blue shift in THF and a red shift in CH₂Cl₂, supporting a more extensive cleavage of the Pt–M bonds in THF solutions than in CH₂Cl₂, where the trinuclear entities are predominant. The Pt–Tl chain <b>1</b> displays in solid state a bright orange-red emission ascribed to ³MM′CT (M′ = Tl). It exhibits remarkable and fast reversible vapochromic and vapoluminescent response to donor vapors (THF and Et₂O), related to the coordination/decoordination of the guest molecule to the Tl­(I) ion, and mechanochromic behavior, associated with the shortening of the intermetallic Pt–Tl separations in the chain induced by grinding. In frozen solutions (THF, acetone, and CH₂Cl₂) <b>1</b> shows interesting luminescence thermochromism with emissions strongly dependent on the solvent, concentration, and excitation wavelengths. The Pt₂Tl complex <b>2</b> shows an emission close to <b>1</b>, ascribed to charge transfer from the platinum fragment to the thallium [³(L+L′)­MM′CT]. <b>2</b> also shows vapoluminescent behavior in the presence of vapors of Me₂CO, THF, and Et₂O, although smaller and slower than those of <b>1</b>. The trinuclear neutral complex Pt₂Pb <b>3</b> displays a blue-shift emission band, tentatively assigned to admixture of ³MM′CT ³[Pt­(d) → Pb­(sp)] with some metal-mediated intraligand (³ππ/³ILCT) contribution. In contrast to <b>1</b> and <b>2</b>, <b>3</b> does not show vapoluminescent behavior