Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) is recognized for its numerous health benefits, attributed to its rich phenolic components. NMR has emerged as a prevalent technique for precisely identifying these compounds. Among Mediterranean countries, Greece stands as the third-largest producer of olives, with the Epirus region notably advancing in olive cultivation, contributing significantly to the dynamic growth of the region. In this study, an NMR method was employed based on the acquisition of a ¹H NMR spectrum along with multiple resonant suppression in order to increase the sensitivity. Using the above method, 198 samples of extra virgin olive oil, primarily sourced from the Epirus region, were analyzed, and both the qualitative and quantitative aspects of the phenolic compounds were obtained. In addition, we examined the effects of various factors such as variety, harvest month, and region origin on the phenolic compounds’ concentration. The results revealed an average total phenolic content of 246 mg/kg, closely approaching the EU health claim limit of 250 mg/kg. Approximately 15% of the samples were confidently characterized as high-phenolic olive oil. The highest concentrations were observed in the Thesprotia samples, with several Lianolia varieties exceeding the total phenolic content of 400 mg/kg. Statistical tests demonstrated a significant influence of the olive variety and the month of fruit harvest on phenolic component concentration, followed by the region of origin. A very strong correlation was noted between the total phenolics content and the levels of oleocanthal and oleacein, with a correlation coefficient (r) of 0.924. Upon optimization of all factors affecting olive oil quality, the majority of the EVOOs from the Epirus region have the potential to be characterized as high in phenolic content.

Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) is recognized for its numerous health benefits attributed to its rich phenolic components. NMR has emerged as a prevalent technique for precisely identifying these compounds. Among Mediterranean countries, Greece stands as the third-largest producer of olives, with the Epirus region notably advancing in olive cultivation, contributing significantly to the dynamic growth of the region. In this study, an NMR method was employed based on the acquisition of an 1H NMR spectrum along with the multiple resonant suppression in order to increase the sensitivity. Using the above method, 198 samples of extra virgin olive oil, primarily sourced from the Epirus region were analyzed and both the qualitative and quantitative aspects of phenolic compounds were acquired. In addition, we examined the effect of various factors, such as, variety, harvest month and region origin on the phenolic compounds’ concentration. The results revealed an average total phenolic content of 246 mg/kg, closely approaching the EU health claim limit of 250 mg/kg. Approximately 15% of the samples were confidently characterized as high-phenolic olive oil. The highest concentrations were observed in Thesprotia samples, with several Lianolia variety exceeding the total phenolic content of 400 mg/kg. Statistical tests demonstrated a significant influence of the olive variety and the month of fruit harvest on phenolic component concentration, followed by the region of origin. A very strong correlation was noted between the total phenolics content and the levels of oleocanthal and oleacein, with a correlation coefficient (r) of 0.924. Upon optimization of all factors affecting olive oil quality, the majority of EVOO from the Epirus region have the potential to be characterized as high in phenolic content.

A novel heteroleptic Ag(I) compound, formulated as [AgL(PPh₃)]BF₄ (1) (where L represents 2,9-bis((E)-4-methoxystyryl)-1,10-phenanthroline and PPh₃ stands for triphenylphosphine), was successfully synthesized and thoroughly characterized. The compound’s stability in solution was confirmed through 1D and 2D nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). The photo-irradiation of the complex in a CDCl₃ solution, utilizing a common portable UV lamp emitting at λ = 365 nm, led to the partial transformation of the E,E-geometric isomer to E,Z, ultimately yielding a 1:1.4 molar ratio of isomers. Its molecular structure was determined via X-ray crystallography, while molecular packing was assessed using Hirshfeld calculations. The most notable interactions (51%) within the cationic inner sphere involved H···H bonds. The photophysical characteristics of the complex and L were evaluated both in the solid state and in solution (dichloromethane). Compound 1 is a weak emitter, with photoluminescence quantum yields of 8.6% and 4.3% in solution and the solid state, respectively.

The novel heteroleptic copper (I) complex [6-(thiophen-2-yl)-2,2′-bipyridine]bis(triphenylphosphine) copper(I) tetrafluoroborate (1), formulated as [CuL(PPh₃)₂]BF₄, was synthesized in two steps, utilizing the diimine type ligand L = 6-(thiophen-2-yl)-2,2′-bipyridine and triphenylphosphine (PPh₃). The compound was characterized both in the solid state and in solution by employing single crystal X-ray diffraction, IR, UV, and NMR spectroscopies. The complex is an orange emitter that demonstrates a photoluminescence quantum yield of 2.6% in the solid state.

A new bis cyclometallated Ir(III) phosphor, [Ir(ppy)₂L]PF₆ (ppy = 2-phenylpyridine, L = 4,4′-bis(4-fluorophenyl)-6,6′-dimethyl-2,2′-bipyridine was prepared and structurally characterized in the solid state (X-ray diffraction) and solution (1 and 2D NMR spectroscopy). The compound exhibited yellow photoluminescence (λ_em = 562 nm). The quantum yield Φ was solvent-dependent (5% in acetonitrile and 19% in dichloromethane solutions, respectively).

A new emissive heteroleptic Ag(I) complex formulated as [AgL(POP)][PF₆] (L = 4,4′-bis (4-Fluorophenyl)-6,6′-dimethyl-2,2′-bipyridine, POP= bis (2-(diphenylphosphino) phenyl) ether) was synthesized and characterized in both the solid state (X-ray crystallography) and the solution. The compound is a yellow-green phosphor (λ_em = 528 nm), with moderate quantum efficiency (Φ_PL = 25% in deaerated dichloromethane).