Enhanced photophysics from self-assembled cyclometalated Ir( iii ) complexes in water

Two water-soluble anionic cyclometalated Ir(iii) complexes, Ir(ppy)2BPS [] and Ir(F-mppy)2BPS [] have been synthesized and display clear evidence of self-assembly in water. Concentration-induced aggregation enhances the excited-state properties of both complexes, blue-shifting the photoluminescence emission energies as well as increasing the corresponding excited state lifetimes and quantum yields up to a factor of 5.