Tridentate Nitrogen Ligand as a Tool for the Construction of Well-Defined Rare Earth Trichloride Complexes.

LnCl3(THF)3 (Ln = Y, La ÷ Nd, Sm ÷ Lu) readily react with the tridentate 1,3,5-trimethyl-1,3,5-triazacyclohexane (Me3tach) ligand to form mono- or binuclear lanthanide trichloride complexes, depending on the stoichiometry of the reaction and the ionic radius of the metal: mononuclear pseudosandwich [LnCl3(Me3tach)2], (Ln = Y, La ÷ Ho) or binuclear complexes [Ln2Cl6(Me3tach)3], or [LnCl3(Me3tach)(THF)]2 (Ln = Sm, Tb). Detailed analysis of the NMR data of [LnCl3(Me3tach)2] complexes with paramagnetic lanthanide ions showed that their structures remained unchanged in the toluene solution. A series of isomorphous complexes [LnCl3(Me3tach)(Py)2] (Ln = La, Sm, Tb, Er, Lu; Py = pyridine) have been obtained by the recrystallization of either mononuclear or binuclear complexes from pyridine. Complexes of terbium and europium ions with the Me3tach ligand exhibit relatively high quantum yields of metal-centered luminescence (0.39 and 0.32, respectively).

Coordination Polymers of Polyphenyl-Substituted Potassium Cyclopentadienides.

A series of potassium salts of di- and tri-arylsubstituted cyclopentadienes has been obtained by the metalation of the corresponding cyclopentadienes with benzylpotassium in THF media. Crystals of all compounds, afforded by recrystallization from THF/hexane, diglyme-THF/hexane and toluene/hexane mixtures, have been studied by X-ray diffraction. All studied potassium cyclopentadienides exhibit the luminescence at room temperature and overall quantum yield of photoluminescence for potassium salt of diarylsubstituted cyclopentadiene is 18%.

Tuning the luminescence efficiency by perfluorination of side chains in Eu3+ complexes with ß-diketones of the thiophene series.

A series of europium and gadolinium complexes comprising a ß-diketone moiety modified with a fluorinated side-group and thiophene ring have been designed and synthesized and a comparative study of their luminescence properties has been carried out. In this study, when the methyl side group was modified by sequential addition of fluorine substituents and then the perfluorinated carbon chain was extended up to n-C8F17 by adding CF2 fragments, it transpired that the non-radiative energy processes are significantly suppressed in structurally more rigid polyfluorinated ß-diketonate compounds of the series as C-H oscillators are replaced with low-energy C-F oscillators. The impact of other electron-withdrawing and electron-donating substituents on the spectroscopic and photophysical properties of the complexes in the present study has also been observed. Despite the presence of low-lying ligand-to-metal charge transfer states, the fluorinated Eu3+ complexes proved to be bright luminophores capable of delivering ca. 50% quantum yield under UV radiation. The role of fluorination and carbon chain length was examined by using experimental spectroscopic methods and the results obtained were largely in good agreement with theoretical calculations (Judd-Ofelt theory analysis, and semiempirical quantum chemistry calculations) supporting our key experimental findings.

Diarylphosphate as a New Route for Design of Highly Luminescent Ln Complexes.

Organophosphate-chloride complexes [{(2,6-iPr2C6H3-O)2POO}2LnCl(CH3OH)4]·2CH3OH, Ln = Nd (1), Eu (2), Gd (3), and Tb (4) have been obtained and structurally characterized. Their reaction with 2,2':6',2″-terpyridine leads to the formation of 1:1 adducts ([{(2,6-iPr2C6H3-O)2POO}2LnCl(terpy)(H2O)2(CH3OH)], Ln = Eu (5), Gd (6), Tb (7) with exception of Nd, where tris-diisopropylphenylphosphate complex [{(2,6-iPr2C6H3-O)2POO}3Nd) (terpy)(H2O)(CH3OH)] (8) was obtained due to the ligand metathesis. A bright luminescence observed for the Eu and Tb organophosphate complexes is the first example of an application of organophosphate ligands for 4f-ions luminescence sensitization. Photophysical properties of all complexes were analyzed by optical spectroscopy and an energy transfer scheme was discussed. A combination of two types of ligands into the coordination sphere (phosphate and phenanthroline) allows designing the Eu surrounding with very high intrinsic quantum yield QEuEu (0.92) and highly luminescent Ln complexes for both visible and near-infrared (NIR) regions.

Crystal structure of tris-[bis-(2,6-diiso-propyl-phen-yl) phosphato-κO]penta-kis-(methanol-κO)europium methanol monosolvate.

The mononuclear title complex, [Eu(C24H34O4P)3(CH4O)5]·CH4O, (1), has been obtained as a minor product in the reaction between EuCl3(H2O)6 and lithium bis-(2,6-diiso-propyl-phen-yl) phosphate in a 1:3 molar ratio in a methanol medium. Its structure exhibits monoclinic (P21/c) symmetry at 120 K and is isostructural with the La, Ce and Nd analogs reported previously [Minyaev et al. (2018a ▸). Acta Cryst. C74, 590-598]. In (1), all three bis-(2,6-diiso-propyl-phen-yl) phosphate ligands display the terminal κ1 O-coordination mode. All of the hy-droxy H atoms are involved in O-H⋯O hydrogen bonding, exhibiting four intra-molecular and two inter-molecular hydrogen bonds. Photophysical studies have demonstrated luminescence of (1) with a low quantum yield.

Polyphenylcyclopentadienyl Ligands as an Effective Light-Harvesting π-Bonded Antenna for Lanthanide +3 Ions.

A new approach to design "antenna-ligands" to enhance the photoluminescence of lanthanide coordination compounds has been developed based on a π-type ligand-the polyphenyl-substituted cyclopentadienyl. The complexes of di-, tri-, and tetraphenyl cyclopentadienyl ligands with Tb and Gd have been synthesized and all the possible structural types from mononuclear to di- and tetranuclear complexes, as well as a coordination polymer were obtained. All types of the complexes have been studied by single-crystal X-ray diffraction and optical spectroscopy. All terbium complexes are luminescent at ambient temperature and two of them have relatively high quantum yields (50 and 60%). Analysis of energy transfer process has been performed and supported by quantum chemical calculations. The role of a low-lying intraligand charge transfer state formed by extra coordination with K+ in the Tb3+ ion luminescence sensitization is discussed. New aspects for design of lanthanide complexes containing π-type ligands with desired luminescence properties have been proposed.

The dark side of hydrogen bonds in the design of optical materials: a charge-density perspective.

A combined investigation of the structural, electronic, and optical properties of three crystalline nonaaqualanthanoid(III) triflates, [Ln(H2 O)9 (CF3 SO3 )3 ], has provided unambiguous experimental evidence for charge redistribution in the first coordination sphere of a lanthanide ion as a result of hydrogen bonds with outer-sphere anions. As well as resulting in charge transfer from the noncoordinated anions to the coordinated water molecules, these hydrogen bonds give rise to a new excited state, an hydrogen-bond-induced charge-transfer state, which is observed experimentally for the first time. This state was shown to be responsible for the previously unknown negative aspect of hydrogen bonds with a lanthanide-bound water molecule: rather than increasing the luminescence efficiency of the complex, they can lead to additional quenching that is unfavorable for the task-specific design of optical materials.

Polyphenylenepyridyl dendrimers as stabilizing and controlling agents for CdS nanoparticle formation.

Semiconductor nanoparticles (NPs) are being actively explored for applications in medical diagnostics and therapy and numerous electronic devices including solar cells. In this paper we demonstrate the influence of the third generation rigid polyphenylenepyridyl dendrimers (PPPDs) of a different architecture on the formation of well-defined CdS NPs. A high temperature approach to the synthesis of novel CdS/PPPD nanocomposites is feasible due to the high thermal stability of PPPDs. The PPPD architecture affects the CdS NP formation: larger NPs are obtained in the presence of dendrimers with 1,3,5-triphenylbenzene cores compared to those with tetrakis(4-ethynylphen-1-yl)methane cores. The reaction conditions such as concentrations of PPPDs and NP precursors and the temperature regime also influence the CdS NP sizes. For the first time, we elucidated a mechanism of CdS NP formation in a non-coordinating solvent through the CdO redispersion in the presence of PPPDs. Interesting optical properties of these CdS/PPPD nanocomposites make them promising candidates for imaging applications.

Intermolecular interactions as actors in energy-transfer processes in lanthanide complexes with 2,2'-bipyridine.

A series of lanthanide complexes [LnCl(x)(bpy)(y)(H(2)O)(z)]Cl(3-x)(H(2)O)(n)(EtOH)(m) (Ln = Eu, Gd, Tb; x = 1, 2; y = 1, 2; z = 2-4) with different numbers of 2,2'-bipyridine (bpy), chloride ions, and water molecules in the inner coordination sphere were synthesized and investigated with the aim of relating their molecular geometry and crystal packing to the efficiency of ligand-to-metal energy transfer. In conjunction to the rotation of the pyridine rings upon coordination to the Ln ion, the high flexibility displayed by bpy ligands leads to rather unexpected bending of these rings with respect to the central bond, owing to intermolecular interactions such as Cl...pi and pi-stacking ones. Deciphering the luminescence properties of the Eu and Tb complexes needs to take into account both the composition of the inner coordination sphere and the peculiarities of the crystal packing. For instance, in addition to the classical ligand --> Eu charge-transfer state (LMCT), another charge-transfer state induced by pi-stacking interactions (SICT) could be identified. These two states, located between the singlet and triplet states of the bpy ligand(s), provide relays facilitating the energy migration from the singlet to the triplet states and eventually to the excited Eu states, improving the overall ligand-to-Eu energy transfer. Another point is the involvement of the inner-sphere water molecules in H-bonding with chloride ions, which considerably lowers their luminescence quenching ability, so that the adducts remain highly luminescent. For instance, the terbium chloride with two bpy ligands is an efficient near-UV to green light converter, with an overall quantum yield equal to 37% despite the coordinated water molecules. The interpretations given are substantiated by DFT and TD-DFT theoretical calculations of the complexes and ligand assemblies.

Role of inner- and outer-sphere bonding in the sensitization of EuIII-luminescence deciphered by combined analysis of experimental electron density distribution function and photophysical data.

A series of lanthanide adducts with different amounts of 1,10-phenanthroline, chloride ions, and water molecules in the inner and outer coordination spheres are investigated with the aim of relating the chemical bonding patternin the crystals to the luminescence properties of the Eu ion: [LnCl1Phen2(H2O)3]Cl2(H2O) (Ln ) Eu, 1Eu; Gd, 1Gd;Tb, 1Tb), [EuCl2Phen2(H2O)2]Cl1(H2O) (2), and [EuCl2Phen1(H2O)4]Cl1(H2O) (3). The influence of inner- versus outersphere ligands on the Ln-X bond lengths and angles in the structure is examined. A detailed topological analysis of the electron density function derived from the X-ray diffraction data for 1Gd is performed within the frame of the"atoms in molecule" theory for the first time for a lanthanide complex. The chemical bonding pattern is interpreted in terms of net atomic charges, bond energies, and electron transfers from the ligands to the metal ion. A noteworthy finding is that the energy of extended noncovalent interactions occurring in the second coordination sphere (H-bonding and pi-stacking interactions) is comparable to that of Ln-ligand bonds. The luminescence properties of the three Eu adducts are interpreted with the results of electron density distribution function topology. An intraligand charge transfer state is identified, and its contribution in the ligand-to-europium energy transfer process is analyzed.The outcome of this study is that specific interionic interactions which are usually not considered in theoretical calculations or in the interpretation of luminescence properties play an important role in the sensitization of the Eu luminescence.