Photochromic Metal Complexes of N-Methyl-4,4′-Bipyridinium: Mechanism and Influence of Halogen Atoms

Photochromism of N-methyl-4,4′-bipyridinium (MQ+) salts and their metal complexes has never been reported. A series of MQ+ coordinated halozinc complexes [(MQ)­ZnX3] (X = Cl (1), Br (2), I (3)) and [(MQ)­ZnCl1.53I1.47]2(MQ)­ZnCl1.68I1.32 (4), with better physicochemical stability than halide salts of the MQ+ cation, have been found to exhibit different photochromic behaviors. Compounds 1–3 are isostructural, but only 1 and 2 show photochromism. Introduction of partial Cl atoms to nonphotochromic compound 3 yields compound 4, which also displays photochromism. The photochromic response of 1, 2, and 4 indicates the presence of their long-lived charge separation states, which originate from X → MQ+ electron transfer according to ESR and XPS measurements. Studies on the influence of different coordinated halogen atoms demonstrate that the Cl atom may be a more suitable electron donor than Br and I atoms to design redox photochromic metal complexes.