Chiral metallosupramolecular architectures based on copper iodide nanoclusters as new earth-abundant metal-based CPL emitters

Although Iridium complexes have proven to be good and stable candidates to form supramolecular luminescent architectures including coordination polymers,¹ their applications are limited due to their high cost and low natural abundance. Hence, over the last decades, as earth-abundant metal complexes, luminescent Cu(I) complexes have received a renewed interest due to economic and environmental concerns. While the use of bulky N^N diimine ligands and P^P diphosphine chelates has been shown to minimise distortion of the excited state of discrete mononuclear copper(I) complexes, thus improving their emission properties, combination of copper(I)-iodide polynuclear entities with organic ligands has also proven successful to afford luminescent complexes. Interestingly, emission of circularly polarised light shows promising applications in (bio)sensors or optoelectronic devices making circularly polarised luminescence (CPL) one of the most attractive chiroptical spectroscopies available. Although, some photoactive Cu(I) complexes showing CPL activity have recently been described, developing new efficient CPL-active chiral Cu(I) emitters remains a challenge.

This project aims at synthesising new emitting (metallo)ligands and assembling them into luminescent supramolecular covalent cages. A positive impact of the supramolecular architectures on the photophysical properties of Cu(I) complexes is foreseen by rigidification of the overall assembly affording improved Cu(I) emitters. Furthermore, employing chiral ligands will enable formation of new enantiopure Cu(I) complexes as well as chiral covalent cages showing CPL activity. The project builds on recent unpublished preliminary results and one on-going PhD work.

¹Chem. Commun., 2015, 51, 14785-14788 ; Inorg. Chem., 2015, 54, 10429-10439 ; Dalton Trans., 2021, 50, 15924 - 15934

The OMECA team is located in the Institute of Chemistry of Strasbourg (UMR 7177) which is a joint Research Laboratory (UMR 7177) under the double affiliation of the CNRS and the University of Strasbourg. Located on the Campus de l'Esplanade in the heart of Strasbourg, the Institute employs around 160 people, including full researchers and professors, technical and administrative staff, doctoral students and post-doctoral fellows. The Institute is a multidisciplinary unit dedicated to all aspects of Molecular Chemistry, organised around 4 axes: Organic Chemistry, Biological Chemistry, Physical and Theoretical Chemistry, Organometallic Chemistry, Catalysis and Coordination Chemistry. 

The OMECA team welcomes students who wish to enrol in a PhD program at the University of Strasbourg and get technical and theoretical training in organometallic, inorganic and organic chemistry, and use several analytical and spectroscopic techniques (NMR, EPR, X-ray, UV-vis...).

Our research aims at developing catalytic systems and (supra)molecular architectures incorporating structures able to perform electronic transfer (redox-active) and/or exhibiting peculiar photophysical properties. We seek to understand and use electronic transfers taking place within an organometallic complex bearing redox-active ligands. Possible applications of this work include multi-electronic steps necessary for the activation of chemical species such as small molecules, introduction of fluorinated motifs useful in medicinal chemistry and C–N bond formation by earth-abundant metals. We also aim at developping new coordination compounds using earth-abundant metals for catalytic or sensing applications.

The OMECA team has established collaborations with the Université de Lille, Université d’Aix-Marseille, Université Pierre et Marie Curie and the Ecole Normale Supérieure.

We are looking for a motivated and dedicated PhD researcher for this project that deals with organic synthesis, supramolecular chemistry, ligand design and (chir)optical properties. The candidate will perform the multi-step synthesis and full characterisation of ligands as well as of new copper complexes and supramolecular cages using standard techniques and spectroscopies (1D/2D NMR, MS, XRD). He/She will also study the optical properties of all compounds (UV-Vis, Em, ECD) and their stability in solution.

The applicant should hold a master degree in molecular chemistry with experience in organic and coordination chemistry. Experience in luminescence measurements will be appreciated but is not mandatory. The candidate should demonstrate the ability to work in cooperative environments as well as autonomously.  Communication and personal skills will also be evaluated (fluent English is required).