Trinuclear Organometallic Pt-Ir-Pt Complexes: Insights into Photophysical Properties, Amino Acid Binding and Protein Sensing.

The rational synthesis of trinuclear emissive organometallic complexes with two equivalent platinum(II) centres appended to the ancillary substituted 2,2'-bipyridyl ligand of the cyclometalated iridium(III) centre is reported here. The alkynyl-platinum moiety and cyclometalated iridium(III) centres have been separated through a non-conjugated CH2 -O-CH2 linkage. The emission titration with amino acids reveals that the complexes sense free amino acids. The luminescence sensing of BSA is thus attributed to the amino acid sensing ability of the complexes and confirmed by emission anisotropy and Far-UV CD spectral study. The decrease in α-helix in the CD spectra signifies the changes in the secondary structure of protein in presence of the complexes.