Near-infrared luminescence of Yb3+, Nd3+, and Er3+ azatriphenylene complexes

Near-infrared luminescent ytterbium(III), neodymium(III), and erbium(III) complexes containing novel organic chromophores derived from azatriphenylene have been prepared and spectroscopically studied. The complexes can be excited from 350 to 450 nm, leading after intramolecular energy transfer to intense lanthanide luminescence in acetonitrile. Quenching of the luminescence of the complexes by molecular oxygen reveals information on the rate of energy transfer from the “antenna” to the lanthanide ion