Transition metal complexes singlet oxygen

As with other first-row transition metals, copper complexes are not expected to be satisfactory singlet oxygen photogenerators, because of the rapid deactivation of excited states in the presence of partially filled d-orbitals. The exceptional case of the copper(II) benzochlorin iminium salt ((18), M = Cu) has already been referred to (Section 9.22.5.6) this showed bioactivity, although the nickel(II) complex ((18), M = Nin) was inactive.195... 

The singlet (S = 0) state lies about 1000 cm above the ground state triplet (S = 1) in the EPR spectrum of free dioxygen. Transitions associated with triplet oxygen in solution are detectable by EPR at low temperatures, but dioxygen complexes with even electron metal centers (e.g., ferroheme) are not generally observable by this method. Usually, only odd electron systems (Kramers systems) are detectable by magnetic resonance. 

Dioxygen could overcome the kinetic barrier of its unpaired electrons and triplet ground state by excitation to its first excited state (xAg), in which all electrons are paired. Unfortunately, this species, referred to as singlet oxygen, is generally too reactive and too short-lived for most situations (lb, lc). However, dioxygen complexation to a transition metal can also result in activation and create stable complexes that can be studied, modified, and used in further reactions in a controlled manner (2). This latter type of activation is the subject of this chapter. 

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