Ru(II) and Zn(II) complexes of multicomponent ligands incorporating triazine-based tridentate ligands

Ru(II) and Zn(II) complexes of multicomponent ligands have been synthesised and characterised incorporating triazine-based coordinating motifs with pendant phenanthryl and phenyl–phenanthryl groups. At room temperature the ligands emit from intra-ligand charge-transfer (ILCT) states, the energy of which may be lowered significantly by metal–ion coordination (e.g. Zn(II)). The ILCT state is efficiently quenched in the Ru(II) complexes by energy transfer to a low-lying metal–ligand charge-transfer 3MLCT state.