Electrochemiluminescence of ruthenium(II) complexes functionalized with crown ether pendants and effects of cation binding.

Electrochemiluminescence (ECL) of a series of ruthenium(II) diimine complexes with appended crown ethers derived from 1,10-phenanthroline was studied via either the annihilation route or the coreactant schemes, and the ECL efficiency has been determined. The effect of an FSN surfactant on the ECL properties was also studied in buffer solutions. The effect of cation binding on the ECL behavior was examined. The ECL intensity of [Ru(bpy)2(phen-2NH)](ClO4)2 has been found to be strongly enhanced upon binding with Zn2+ and alkaline-earth metal ions. The X-ray crystal structure of [Ru(bpy)2(phen-2NH)](ClO4)2 has also been determined.