Acid-Induced Degradation and Ancillary Ligand Replacement of Biscyclometalated Iridium(III) Complexes

Three biscyclometalated iridium(III) complexes with three different ancillary ligands have been investigated with respect to the final products of acid-induced transformation in coordinating or non-coordinating solvents. All of these complexes, represented as [Ir(LC boolean AND N)2LO boolean AND O] and [Ir(LC boolean AND N)2LN boolean AND O], are susceptible to acid attack, followed by the departure of the ancillary ligand, LO boolean AND O or LN boolean AND O. Depending on the coordinating ability of the solvent molecule and whether or not a coordinating anion exists, the final product will be either a solvento complex or a dichloro-bridged iridium(III) dimer. Although coexistence of the solvento complex and dichloro-bridged iridium(III) dimer was observed under certain conditions, the conversion of the solvento complex into the dichloro-bridged iridium(III) dimer has been proven.