Tetrazolates: a versatile class of ligands for luminescent metal complexes

We recently reported tetrazolates, [R-CN4]-, as an excellent class of ligands for the construction of highly photo- and electrochemiluminescent Ru(II)-polypyridyls and of intensely emitting and colour tunable Ir(III)-cyclometalates for OLEDs and LEECs devices, in which the extent of photophysical performances could be modulated by the addition of electrophiles to the coordinated tetrazolate ring. Our research has been nowadays extended to the preparation of new families of tetrazole complexes, such as Ru(II)-Ir(III) and Re(I)-Ir(III) bimetallic dyads and, as the latest development, of novel and intensely emitting Cu(I)-tetrazole cationic complexes. The main synthetic features and the photophysical properties of these new metal-containing molecules, will be described.