A novel chromophore has been isolated with 2,2'-bis[(4R)-phenyl]-1,3-oxazol
ine (L) in the optically pure triple-stranded helicate [Cu2L3](ClO4)(2), wh
ich displays photoluminescence in methanol at room temperature (emission ma
ximum lambda (em) = 385 nm; quantum yield phi = 1.6 x 10(-4); life-time tau
approximate to 2 ns) as well as at 77 K (lambda (em) = 430 nm; tau = 0.89
+/-0.13 s).