Tripod-type 2,2′-bipyridine ligand for lanthanide cations: synthesis and photophysical studies on coordination to transition metal cations

Abstract

New tripod-type 2,2′-bipyridine ligand consisting of a central polyaminocarboxylic moiety for the coordination to lanthanide cations and three appended 5-phenyl-2,2′-bipyridine fragments for the coordination to various transition metal cations have been prepared. A europium complex of this ligand was prepared, and its photophysical properties and a luminescent response towards transition metal salts (particularly, CdI2, Cd(OAc)2, Zn(ClO4)2, Cu(OAc)2, and HgCl2) have been studied. Europium cation luminescence quenching in the presence of transition metal salts in solution was observed in all cases. In addition, it was observed that the fluorescent response of the europium complex was quite individual depending on the type of the metal salt. The obtained data were compared with the earlier published data for some lanthanide complexes bearing additional sites for the chelation of transition metal cations.