{
  "abstract": "Among first-row transition metals, copper-(I) plays a central role in photophysics and photochemistry due to its closed d10 subshell, which makes unwanted excited-state deactivation processes less prevalent than in metal complexes with incompletely filled 3d orbitals. Building on the isoelectronic analogy between nickel(0) and copper-(I), we develop photoactive nickel(0) complexes that, for the first time, approach the photophysical performance of their copper-(I) counterparts. By creating a coordination sphere that stabilizes the zero-valent oxidation state through strong π-backbonding and shielding it from the chemical environment, we obtain two nickel(0) complexes that are inert towards oxidation by air and show luminescence from a metal-to-ligand charge-transfer (MLCT) excited state with a quantum yield of near 0.03% and a lifetime of approximately 4 ns in solution at room temperature. The more electron-rich nature of nickel(0) compared to copper-(I), as well as the unique role of nickel in modern cross-coupling catalysis, open perspectives for new inner-sphere photocatalysis beyond conventional photoredox strategies relying on simple molecular collisions, in addition to luminescence-based applications. Overall, this work contributes to the advancement of photoactive complexes based on abundant first-row transition metals and identifies new opportunities for photophysics and photochemistry compared to well-established noble metal-based coordination compounds.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, St. Johanns-Ring 19, 4056 Basel, Switzerland."
  ],
  "article_type": "research article",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 2,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Tim H Eggenweiler"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Oliver S Wenger",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-0739-0553"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/bvrrg17d6h50p.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.1021/jacsau.6c01216",
  "fulltext_url": "https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC13714857",
  "id": "bvrrg17d6h50p",
  "issns": [
    "2691-3704"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42953177",
  "language": "eng",
  "licence": "CC-BY-NC-ND",
  "licence_label": "CC BY-NC-ND",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "heading",
      "Article"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "1606|Photochemistry and Electron Transfer Studies"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7213997230",
  "pdf_url": "https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC13714857?pdf=render",
  "pmcid": "PMC13714857",
  "pmid": "42953177",
  "published": "2026-09-22",
  "publisher": "American Chemical Society",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/bvrrg17d6h50p.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-31T00:20:41Z",
      "native_id": "MED:42953177",
      "source": "europepmc",
      "url": "https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42953177"
    },
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-11-01T12:22:16Z",
      "native_id": "PMC13714857",
      "source": "pmc",
      "url": "https://doi.org/10.1021/jacsau.6c01216"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "chemistry",
      "origin": "openalex:1606|Photochemistry and Electron Transfer Studies",
      "subfield": "physical"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Air-Stable Nickel(0) Complexes with Room-Temperature Photoluminescence.",
  "title_text": "Air-Stable Nickel(0) Complexes with Room-Temperature Photoluminescence.",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-11-01T12:22:16Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/bvrrg17d6h50p",
  "venue": "JACS Au",
  "versions": []
}