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The 1:1 cocrystal of 5-fluorocytosine (5FC) and 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde (4HB), C₄H₄FN₃O·C₇H₆O₂has been synthesized and its structure characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction and Hirshfeld surface analysis. The compound crystallizes in the monoclinicP2₁/cspace group. A robust supramolecular architecture is stabilized by N—H...O, N—H...N, C—H...O and C—H...F hydrogen bonds, formingR₂²(8),R₄⁴(22),R₆⁶(32), andR₈⁸(34) ring motifs. The N—H...O and N—H...N hydrogen bonds form strong directional interactions, contributing to theR₂²(8) andR₈⁸(34) motifs through dimeric and extended ring structures. O—H...O interactions link 5FC and 4HB molecules, generating anR₆⁶(32) ring that enhances the packing. Weaker C—H...F bonds help form theR₄⁴(22) tetrameric motif, supporting the overall three-dimensional supramolecular framework. Additionally, C—F...π interactions between the fluorine atom and the aromatic ring add further to the crystal cohesion. Hirshfeld surface analysis and two-dimensional fingerprint plots confirm that O...H/H...O contacts are the most significant, highlighting the central role of hydrogen bonding in the stability and organization of the crystal structure. 

Photocatalysis using complexes of d0 metals with ligand-to-metal charge-transfer (LMCT) excited states is an active area of research. Because titanium is the second most abundant transition metal in the earth’s crust, d0 complexes of TiIV are an appropriate target for this research. Recently, our group has demonstrated that the arylethynyltitanocene Cp2Ti(C2Ph)2CuBr is not emissive in room-temperature fluid solution, whereas the corresponding Cp* complex, Cp*2Ti(C2Ph)2CuBr, is emissive. The Cp* ligand is hypothesized to provide steric constraint that inhibits excited-state structural rearrangement. However, modifying the structure also changes the orbital character of the excited state. To investigate the impact of the excited-state orbital character on the photophysics, herein we characterize complexes similar to Cp*2Ti(C2Ph)2CuBr—but one with a more electron-rich arylethynyl ligand, ethynyldimethylaniline (C2DMA), and one with a more electron-poor arylethynyl ligand, ethynyl-α,α,α-trifluorotoluene. We have also prepared complexes with the C2DMA ligand but with different Cp ligands that adjust the steric bulk and constraint around the Ti, by replacing the Cp* ligands with either indenyl ligands or an ansa-cyclopentadienyl ligand where the two Cp ligands are bridged by a dimethylsilylene. All four target complexes have been characterized crystallographically and structure activity relationships are highlighted. 

A rare cuprous triangle featuring a reactive organocopper site is captured by a new flexible bis(amidinate) ligand from the oligomeric mesitylcopper framework and interconverts with another equivalent of ligand into a tetracuprous Möbius strip. 

The tuning of the luminescent properties of PtII complexes for possible use in organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) and sensing applications is commonly achieved by altering the electronic properties of the ligands. Our group recently demonstrated that the trifluoropropynyl ligand is strongly electron-withdrawing and possibly useful for blueshifting emission. Herein, we report the synthesis of two complexes of this trifluoropropynyl ligand, namely PtLC2CF3 and PtLFC2CF3 (L = 1,3-di(2-pyridyl)benzene; LF = 4,6-difluoro-1,3-di(2-pyridyl)benzene). The PtLC2CF3 complex crystallized in the monoclinic space group P21/n with Z = 4. The PtLFC2CF3 complex crystalized in the triclinic space group P-1 with Z = 2. Changing the tridentate ligand from L to LF resulted in a change in the packing structure, with the latter showing a metallophilic interaction (Pt-Pt distance = 3.3341(3) Å). The solution photophysics of the trifluoropropynyl complexes is compared with that of the corresponding Cl complexes, PtLCl and PtLFCl. Replacement of the chloro ligand with the trifluoropropynyl ligand blueshifted the monomer emission by less than 5 nm but blueshifted the excimer emission peaks by 15–20 nm. The complexes of the trifluoropropynyl ligand also favor the excimer emission more than the complexes of the chloro ligand. The excimer emission is quenched by dissolved oxygen significantly more than the corresponding monomer emission. The excimer emission and monomer emission are well separated, and the ratio of monomer to excimer emission is strongly dependent on oxygen concentration. 

Defined arrays of transition metal ions embedded in tailored polydentate ligand scaffolds allow for a systematic design of their physical properties. Such molecular strings of closed-shell transition metal centers are particularly interesting for Group 11 metal ions in the oxidation state +1 if they undergo metallophilic d10···d10 contact interactions since these clusters are oftentimes efficient photoluminescence (PL) emitters. Copper is particularly attractive as a sustainable earth-abundant coinage metal source and because of the ability of several Cu(I) complexes to serve as powerful thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) emitters in molecular/organic light-emitting devices (OLEDs). Our combined synthetic, crystallographic, photophysical, and computational study describes a straight tetracuprous array possessing a centrally disconnected Cu(I)2···Cu(I)2 chain and a continuous helically bent Cu(I)4 complex. This molecular helix undergoes a facile rearrangement in diethyl ether solution, yielding an unprecedented nanosized Cu(I)10 cluster (2.9 × 2.0 nm) upon crystallization. All three clusters show either bright blue phosphorescence, TADF, or green/yellow multiband phosphorescence with quantum yields between 6.5 and 67%, which is persistent under hydrostatic pressure up to 30 kbar. Temperature-dependent PL investigations in combination with time-dependent density-functional theory (TD-DFT) calculations and void space analyses of the crystal packings complement a comprehensive correlation between the molecular structures and photoluminescence properties. 

The luminescent properties of Au(I) and Pt(II) compounds are commonly tuned by exploiting the alkynyl ligand with varying electron density. Herein, we describe the synthesis of three new emissive transition metal compounds, tbpyPt(C2pym)2, Ph3PAuC2pym, and Cy3PAuC2pym (where HC2pym = 2-ethynylpyrimidine), verified by 1H-NMR, EA, and a single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. The tbpyPt(C2pym)2 complex crystallized as an Et2O solvate in the orthorhombic space group Pbca with Z = 24 with three unique Pt(II) species within the unit cell. The Cy3PAuC2pym species crystallizes in a monoclinic space group with one unique complex in the asymmetric unit. Changing the identity of the phosphine from Cy3P to Ph3P influences interactions within the unit cell. Ph3PAuC2pym, which also crystalizes in a monoclinic space group, has an aurophilic bonding interaction Au–Au distance of 3.0722(2) Å, which is not present in crystalline Cy3PAuC2pym. Regarding optical properties, the use of an electron-deficient heterocycle provides an alternate approach to blue-shifting the emission of Pt(II) transition metals’ compounds, where the aryl moiety is made more electron-deficient by exploiting nitrogen within this moiety instead of the typical strategy of decorating the aryl ring with electron withdrawing substituents (e.g., fluorines). This is indicated by the blue-shift in emission that occurs in tbpyPt(C2pym)2 (λmax, emission = 512 nm) compared to the previously reported tbpyPt(C22-py)2 (where HC22-py = 2-ethynylpyridine) complex (λmax, emission = 520 nm).