Hydrothermal Synthesis, Structural Determination, and Properties of a New Family of Mononuclear Lanthanide Complexes with Pyridines Bearing More Flexible Pendant-Arm Carboxylate Substituents

Abstract

Members of a new family of mononuclear lanthanide complexes possessing the general formula Ln(3-pyrac)₃(H₂O)₃ (Ln = Y 1, La 2, Sm 3, Eu 4, Gd 5, Tb 6, Dy 7, Er 8, 3-pyrac = 3-pyridylacetate) were synthesized by hydrothermal reaction and characterized by single-crystal x-ray diffraction analysis, infrared (IR) spectra, luminescent spectroscopy, and thermal analysis. Photoluminescence measurement indicates that the complexes 3, 4, 6, and 7 exhibit characteristic emission of Sm(III), Eu(III), Tb(III), and Dy(III) at room temperature. The electrochemical behavior of complexes 4 has been examined by cyclic voltammetry in aqueous solution.

Keywords:

• crystal structure
• cyclic voltammetry
• lanthanide complexes
• luminescence
• mononuclear

Acknowledgments

The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support provided by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (number 20761002), P. R. China, the Natural Science Foundation of Guangxi (number 0832080), P. R. China, and Innovation Project of Guangxi University for Nationalities (number gxun-chx2010080).