Luminescent polynuclear metal acetylides

The photophysical and photochemical studies of polynuclear copper(I), silver(I), gold(I), rhenium(I) and platinum(II) acetylide complexes are reviewed. Based on the highly flexible bonding modes of the acetylides and the various coordination geometry of these metal centres, a number of polynuclear copper(I), silver(I), gold(I), rhenium(I) and platinum(II) acetylide complexes with very different molecular structures have been synthesized and characterized. These organometallic complexes also exhibit rich and remarkable photophysical and photochemical properties which are unique to the presence of the acetylide ligand. The fundamental understanding on the photophysical and photochemical properties of these luminescent organometallic complexes would lead to the production of novel luminescent materials and represent model systems in the development of light-emitting diodes, new materials with non-linear optical properties and liquid crystalline properties. In this review article, particular attention is focused on the electronic absorption spectroscopy, photoluminescence behaviour, excited-state assignments and photochemical properties of this class of luminescent acetylide complexes.