A green-emitting Cu complex for oxygen-sensing purpose: synthesis, characterization and photophysical features

In the present work, a green-emitting Cu(I) complex [Cu(BT-Et)(POP)]BF4 was synthesized and fully characterized, where BT-Et=4-(1-ethyl-1H-benzo[d]imidazol-2-yl)thiazole, POP=bis(2-(diphenylphosphanyl)phenyl) ether, respectively. An ethyl group was connected onto the diamine ligand to breach π-π attraction within solid [Cu(BT-Et)(POP)]BF4, favoring O2 molecule attack and sensitivity improvement. Its molecular identity was confirmed by single crystal analysis and theoretical calculation. [Cu(BT-Et)(POP)]BF4 emitted long-lived green emission peaking at 521nm upon photoexcitation which was vulnerable towards O2 molecule, making itself a potential oxygen sensing material. [Cu(BT-Et)(POP)]BF4 was then doped into a silica supporting matrix MCM-41. The resulting composite samples showed sensing behavior towards O2 molecule, with short response time of 10s and sensitivity of 5.56.