Photoluminescence properties of a cationic trinuclear zinc(II) complex with the tetradentate Schiff base ligand 6-methyl-2-({[(pyridin-2-yl)methyl]imino}methyl)phenolate.

Metal complexes with Schiff base ligands have been suggested as potential phosphors in electroluminescent devices. In the title complex, tetra­kis­[6-methyl-2-({[(pyridin-2-yl)meth­yl]imino}­meth­yl)phenolato-1:2κ8N,N′,O:O;3:2κ8N,N′,O:O]trizinc(II) hexa­fluorido­phosphate methanol monosolvate, [Zn3(C14H13N2O)4](PF6)2·CH3OH, the ZnII cations adopt both six- and four-coordinate geometries involving the N and O atoms of tetra­dentate 6-methyl-2-({[(pyridin-2-yl)meth­yl]imino}­meth­yl)phenolate ligands. Two terminal ZnII cations adopt distorted octa­hedral geometries and the central ZnII cation adopts a distorted tetra­hedral geometry. The O atoms of the phenolate ligands bridge three ZnII cations, forming a dicationic trinuclear metal cluster. The title complex exhibits a strong emission at 469 nm with a quantum yield of 15.5%.