Excimer and exciplex formation in a pair of bright phosphorescent isomers constructed from Cu3(pyrazolate)3 and Cu3I3 coordination luminophores

Reported herein are a pair of supramolecular pseudo-isomers, namely, (Cu3I3)(Cu3L3)2·H2O (1) and (Cu3I3)(Cu3L3)2 (2) (L = 3-(4-pyridyl)-5-isobutyl-pyrazolate), both of which incorporate Cu3Pz3 (Pz = pyrazolate) and Cu3I3 clusters as luminophores. The two complexes show distinct yellow (570 nm) and orange (638 nm) emissions, which are ascribed to the formation of the excimer and exciplex involving the same or different copper(I)-cluster-based luminophores.