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.