Tuning Co-Operative Energy Transfer in Copper(I) Complexes Using Two-Photon Absorbing Diimine-Based Ligand Sensitizers.

Photocatalysis mediated by low energy light wavelengths has potential to enable safer, sustainable synthetic methods. A phenanthroline-derived ligand bathocupSani, with a large two-photon absorption (TPA) cross section was used to construct a heteroleptic complex [Cu(bathocupSani)(DPEPhos)]BF and a homoleptic complex [Cu(bathocupSani)]BF. The ligand and the respective homoleptic complex with copper exhibit two-photon upconversion with an anti-Stokes shift of 1.2 eV using red light. The complex [Cu(bathocupSani)]BF promoted energy transfer photocatalysis enabling oxidative dimerization of benzylic amines, sulfide oxidation, phosphine oxidation, boronic acid oxidation and atom-transfer radical addition.