A series of carbazole-functionalized carboxylate ligands (N-carbazolylacetic acid (L1), 4-carbazol-9-yl-benzoic acid (L2), and 3-(4-carbazol-9-yl-phenyl) -acrylic acid (L3)) and their corresponding silvercomplexes were designed and synthesized and the structures were determined by single crystal X-ray diffractions. The silver atoms in the complexes are in tetrahedral geometry coordinated with two oxygen from carboxylic and two phosphorous atoms from triphenylphosphine. The complexes exhibit excellent electrochemical characters in solution and strong photoluminescence in the solid state. The emission wavelengths of the compounds can be tuned (from ultraviolet to visible region) by introducing of the second coordinating ligand Iriphenylphosphine and by elongation of the conjugation moieties. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.