Electronic spectroscopy and photophysics of metal-alkylidyne complexes

The electronic-absorption and -emission spectroscopy and photophysical properties of metal-alkylidyne (-carbyne) complexes are reviewed. Emission has been observed in fluid solution at room temperature from compounds of a variety of different metals (Mo, W, Re, Os) and electron configurations (d0, d1, d2). The emissive excited states are of the types dxy → π*, π → π*, π → dxy, and MLCT. This compositional and electronic diversity enables the luminescence properties of metal-alkylidyne complexes to be broadly tuned.