A tri-gold triazolide with long-lived luminescence

• Tri-gold(I) triazolides are prepared in on-pot reactions from accessible gold precursors.
• The new complexes emit visible light upon UV or visible excitation.
• Long emission lifetimes in the microsecond range are observed at room temperature.

We report the synthesis and characterization of tri-gold(I) complexes of a phenyltriazolide ligand. This complex luminesces in solution at room temperature and 77 K with emission lifetimes of 4.72 ± 0.8 μs at 298 K and 529 ± 12 μs at 77 K. Density-functional theory calculations on model complexes indicate that the triazolyl ring and aryl substituents approach coplanarity, and that total charge transfer is attenuated in the triplet excited state.

Triplet-state lumophores having long luminescent lifetimes are prepared in one-pot reactions that exemplify gold click chemistry. Emission spectra and time-dependent density-functional theory calculations indicate ligand-centered luminescence.Figure optionsDownload as PowerPoint slide