City Research Online

Abstract

A series of ruthenium (II) complexes bearing three 2,2'-bipyridine ligands, one of which was mono-substituted or disubstituted with functional groups, which could be easily activated towards conjugation with an antibody, were synthesized. Examination of the luminescent properties of these complexes, indicated that they exhibited similar characteristics to the parent complex, ruthenium (II) tris 2,2'-bipyridine and were, therefore, suited to application to time-resolved immunoassay. The absorption maxima of the substituted complexes were red shifted relative to that of the parent complex, but the nature of the substituent appeared to have little effect on the degree of shift observed. Also, the emission maxima exhibited red shift relative to ruthenium (II) tris 2,2'-bipyridine, with the degree of shift being greater in the disubstituted complexes. It was noted that the position of the observed emission maximum appeared to be influenced by the mesomeric and inductive effects the substituents exerted on the ligand and, thus, on the complex. The luminescent lifetime of the complexes appeared to be similarly affected; the measured lifetime decreasing with increasing Stokes shift. Examination of the room temperature luminescence (RTL) effect, exhibited by ruthenium (II) tris 2,2'-bipyridine, showed an increase in the luminescence lifetime of the complex when immobilised onto a suitable solid phase, together with a possible detection limit of the complex in the picomolar range. These properties, therefore, highlighted the possible application of this type of complex to solid phase immunoassay. It was found to be possible to conjugate the functionalised ruthenium complexes to immunoglobulin G (IgG), with retention of the required luminescent properties of the parent complex, ruthenium (II) tris 2,2'-bipyridine. It is, therefore, possible that these complexes could be utilised as the detection label in time-resolved immunoassay.

Publication Type:	Thesis (Doctoral)
Subjects:	Q Science > QD Chemistry
Departments:	Doctoral Theses School of Science & Technology School of Science & Technology > School of Science & Technology Doctoral Theses

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