Strong NIR Electrochemiluminescence from Lanthanide Ions Sensitized with a Carbon-Rich Ruthenium Chelate

Abstract

We report on intense electrochemiluminescence (ECL) emission from the redox switching of a series of heterobimetallic systems consisting of lanthanide complexes emitting in the near-infrared (NIR) range (Yb3+, Nd3+) associated with a redox-active carbon-rich ruthenium bipyridyl antenna chelate. The NIR ECL emission was achieved successfully using the same molecular scaffold. The electrochemical reactions between the antenna and the sacrificial ECL coreactant allows for this low-potential redox modulation of NIR luminescence of Yb3+ and Nd3+. This strategy offers interesting new insights into NIR ECL systems based on inorganic complexes.