Ru2+ complexes comprising terpyridine ligands appended with terthiophene chromophores: energy transfer and energy reservoir effect.

Two Ru(2+) complexes containing terpyridine ligands appended with terthiophene units connected by a methyleneoxy or an alkynyl bridge show very different luminescent behaviours: the former is non-luminescent at 298 K owing to a photoinduced energy transfer process to the terthiophene moiety, while the latter exhibits an extraordinary long excited state lifetime because of an energy reservoir effect.