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Complexes consisting of earth-abundant main group metals such as silicon with polypyridine ligands are of interest for a variety of optical and electronic applications including as electrochromic colorants. Previous spectroelectrochemical studies with tris(2,2′-bipyridyl)silicon(IV) hexafluorophosphate, [Si(bpy)3](PF6)4, demonstrated an ability to control the color saturation of the potential electrochromic dye, with the intensity of the dye’s green color increasing as the charge state sequentially reduces from 4+ to 1+. In this study, the synthesis of bis(4′-(4-tolyl)-2,2′:6′,2″-terpyridine)silicon(IV) hexafluorophosphate, [Si(ttpy)2](PF6)4, is reported along with electrochemical and spectroelectrochemical analyses. Computational modeling (density functional theory) is used to further elucidate the electrochromic properties of previously reported Si(bpy)3n+ species and the new Si(ttpy)2n+ species. While the homoleptic tris(bidentate)silicon(IV) complexes are attractive as electrochromic dyes for tunable color saturation, the bis(tridentate)silicon(IV) complexes are attractive as polychromatic electrochromic dyes. 

A neutral hexacoordinate silicon complex containing two 2,6-bis(benzimidazol-2′-yl)pyridine (bzimpy) ligands has been synthesized and explored as a potential electron transport layer and electroluminescent layer in organic electronic devices. The air and water stable complex is fluorescent in solution with a λ max = 510 nm and a QY = 57%. Thin films grown via thermal evaporation also fluoresce and possess an average electron mobility of 6.3 × 10 −5 cm 2 V −1 s −1 . An ITO/Si(bzimpy) 2 /Al device exhibits electroluminescence with λ max = 560 nm.