Luminescent transition metal complexes have attracted much attention owing to their utilization in a variety of photochemical applications such as light-emitting devices, bioimaging and solar–energy conversion. The photofunctionalities of these complexes (e.g., emission color, quantum yield and lifetime) are broadly tunable owing to the presence of various electronic excited states originating in the metal center and ligand(s). Therefore, a huge number of luminescent transition metal complexes has been hitherto reported. It is quite important to understand the excited-state dynamics of the complexes including population change between the excited states, structural change and intersystem crossing. Since recent progress in the instrumental analysis enables direct observation of the excited-state dynamics, a variety of the processes in the excited state has been elucidated. In this review, the excited-state dynamics of luminescent transition metal complexes are highlighted in terms of metallophilic and donor–acceptor interactions.

发光过渡金属配合物因其在发光器件、生物成像和太阳能转换等多种光化学应用中的应用而备受关注。由于存在源自金属中心和配体的各种电子激发态，这些配合物的光功能（例如，发射颜色、量子产率和寿命）可广泛调节。因此，迄今已报道了大量的发光过渡金属配合物。了解配合物的激发态动力学非常重要，包括激发态之间的种群变化、结构变化和系统间交叉。由于仪器分析的最新进展可以直接观察激发态动力学，已经阐明了处于激发态的各种过程。在这篇综述中，发光过渡金属配合物的激发态动力学在亲金属和供体-受体相互作用方面得到了强调。