Lanthanide(III) Complexes of 4,10‐Bis(phosphonomethyl)‐1,4,7,10‐tetraazacyclododecane‐1,7‐diacetic acid (trans‐H6do2a2p) in Solution and in the Solid State: Structural Studies Along the Series

Complexes of 4,10‐bis(phosphonomethyl)‐1,4,7,10‐tetraazacyclododecane‐1,7‐diacetic acid (trans‐H₆do2a2p, H₆ L ) with transition metal and lanthanide(III) ions were investigated. The stability constant values of the divalent and trivalent metal‐ion complexes are between the corresponding values of H₄dota and H₈dotp complexes, as a consequence of the ligand basicity. The solid‐state structures of the ligand and of nine lanthanide(III) complexes were determined by X‐ray diffraction. All the complexes are present as twisted‐square‐antiprismatic isomers and their structures can be divided into two series. The first one involves nona‐coordinated complexes of the large lanthanide(III) ions (Ce, Nd, Sm) with a coordinated water molecule. In the series of Sm, Eu, Tb, Dy, Er, Yb, the complexes are octa‐coordinated only by the ligand donor atoms and their coordination cages are more irregular. The formation kinetics and the acid‐assisted dissociation of several Ln^III–H₆ L complexes were investigated at different temperatures and compared with analogous data for complexes of other dota‐like ligands. The [Ce( L )(H₂O)]^3? complex is the most kinetically inert among complexes of the investigated lanthanide(III) ions (Ce, Eu, Gd, Yb). Among mixed phosphonate–acetate dota analogues, kinetic inertness of the cerium(III) complexes is increased with a higher number of phosphonate arms in the ligand, whereas the opposite is true for europium(III) complexes. According to the ¹H NMR spectroscopic pseudo‐contact shifts for the Ce–Eu and Tb–Yb series, the solution structures of the complexes reflect the structures of the [Ce(H L )(H₂O)]^2? and [Yb(H L )]^2? anions, respectively, found in the solid state. However, these solution NMR spectroscopic studies showed that there is no unambiguous relation between ³¹P/¹H lanthanide‐induced shift (LIS) values and coordination of water in the complexes; the values rather express a relative position of the central ions between the N₄ and O₄ planes.     

NMR‐based analysis of structure of heteroleptic triple‐decker (phthalocyaninato) (porphyrinato) lanthanides in solutions

A novel approach for the structural analysis of heteroleptic triple‐decker (porphyrinato)(phthalocyaninato) lanthanides(III) in solutions is developed. The developed approach consists in molecular mechanics (MM+) optimization of the geometry of the complex taking into account the lanthanide‐induced shift (LIS) datasets. LISs of the resonance peaks in ¹H NMR spectra of a series of symmetric complexes [An₄P]Ln[(15C5)₄Pc]Ln[An₄P], where An₄P^2? is 5,10,15,20‐tetrakis(4‐methoxyphenyl)porphyrinato‐dianion, [(15C5)₄Pc]^2? is 2,3,9,10,16,17,24,25‐tetrakis(15‐crown‐5)phthalocyaninato‐dianion and Ln = La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, are analyzed. Analysis of LISs showed two sets of protons in the molecule with opposite signs of shift. Two‐nuclei analysis of LISs testifies isostructurality of the whole series of investigated complexes in solution despite contraction of the lanthanide ions. Model‐free separation of contact and dipolar contributions of LISs was performed with one‐nucleus technique and did not show changes in contact and dipolar terms within the investigated series. MM+ optimization of the molecular structure allowed the interpretation of features of LIS for each particular group of protons. Parameterization of MM + ‐optimized model of molecule with values of structure‐dependent dipolar contributions of LIS allows the development of the precise structural model of the triple‐decker complex in solution. This approach allows the determination of the geometry and structure of the sandwich macrocyclic tetrapyrrolic complexes together with conformational analysis of flexible peripheral substituents in solutions. The developed method can be applied with minor modifications for the determination of structural parameters of other types of lanthanides(III) complexes with tetrapyrrolic ligands and also supramolecular systems based on them. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Synthesis,Characterization and Photoluminescence of Lanthanide Metal‐organic Frameworks,Constructed from Triangular 4,4′,4″‐s‐triazine‐1,3,5‐triyl‐p‐aminobenzoate Ligands

Eight isomorphous metal‐organic frameworks: [Ln₂(TATAB)₂(H₂O)(DMA)₆]·5H₂O (Ln = Sm ( 1 ), Eu ( 2 ), Gd ( 3 ), Tb ( 4 ), Dy ( 5 ), Er ( 6 ), Tm ( 7 ), Yb ( 8 )); TATAB = 4,4′,4″‐s‐triazine‐1,3,5‐triyl‐p‐aminobenzoate, DMA = N,N‐dimethylacetamide), were synthesized by the self‐assembly of lanthanide ions, TATAB, DMA and H₂O. Single‐crystal X‐ray crystallography reveals they are three dimensional frameworks with 2‐fold interpenetration. Solid‐state photoluminescence studies indicate ligand‐to‐metal energy transfer is more efficient for compounds 2 and 4 which exhibit intense characteristic lanthanide emissions at room temperature.     

Hydrated hexacyanometallate(III) salts of triaqua(18‐crown‐6)lanthanoid(III) and tetraaqua(18‐crown‐6)lanthanoid(III) cations containing nine‐ and ten‐coordinate lanthanoids

Tetraaqua(18‐crown‐6)cerium(III) hexacyanoferrate(III) dihydrate, [Ce(C₁₂H₂₄O₆)(H₂O)₄][Fe(CN)₆]·2H₂O, and tetraaqua(18‐crown‐6)neodymium(III) hexacyanoferrate(III) dihydrate, [Nd(C₁₂H₂₄O₆)(H₂O)₄][Fe(CN)₆]·2H₂O, are isomorphous and isostructural in the C2/c space group, where the cations, which contain ten‐coordinate lanthanoid centres, lie across twofold rotation axes and the anions lie across inversion centres. In these compounds, an extensive series of O—H...O and O—H...N hydrogen bonds links the components into a continuous three‐dimensional framework. Triaqua(18‐crown‐6)lanthanoid(III) hexacyanoferrate(III) dihydrate, [Ln(C₁₂H₂₄O₆)(H₂O)₃][Fe(CN)₆]·2H₂O, where Ln = Sm, Eu, Gd or Tb, are all isomorphous and isostructural in the P space group, as are triaqua(18‐crown‐6)gadolinium(III) hexacyanochromate(III) dihydrate, [Gd(C₁₂H₂₄O₆)(H₂O)₃][Cr(CN)₆]·2H₂O, and triaqua(18‐crown‐6)gadolinium(III) hexacyanocobaltate(III) dihydrate, [Gd(C₁₂H₂₄O₆)(H₂O)₃][Co(CN)₆]·2H₂O. In these compounds, there are two independent anions, both lying across inversion centres, and the lanthanoid centres exhibit nine‐coordination; in the crystal structures, an extensive series of hydrogen bonds links the components into a three‐dimensional framework.     

Systematic Investigation of Reaction‐Time Dependence of Three Series of Copper–Lanthanide/Lanthanide Coordination Polymers: Syntheses,Structures, Photoluminescence,and Magnetism

Three series of copper–lanthanide/lanthanide coordination polymers (CPs) Ln^IIICu^IICu^I(bct)₃(H₂O)₂ [Ln=La ( 1 ), Ce ( 2 ), Pr ( 3 ), Nd ( 4 ), Sm ( 5 ), Eu ( 6 ), Gd ( 7 ), Tb ( 8 ), Dy ( 9 ), Er ( 10 ), Yb ( 11 ), and Lu ( 12 ), H₂bct=2,5‐bis(carboxymethylmercapto)‐1,3,4‐thiadiazole acid], Ln^IIICu^I(bct)₂ [Ln=Ce ( 2 a ), Pr ( 3 a ), Nd ( 4 a ), Sm ( 5 a ), Eu ( 6 a ), Gd ( 7 a ), Tb ( 8 a ), Dy ( 9 a ), Er ( 10 a ), Yb ( 11 a ), and Lu ( 12 a )], and Ln^III₂(bct)₃(H₂O)₅ [Ln=La ( 1 b ), Ce ( 2 b ), Pr ( 3 b ), Nd ( 4 b ), Sm ( 5 b ), Eu ( 6 b ), Gd ( 7 b ), Tb ( 8 b ), and Dy ( 9 b )] have been successfully constructed under hydrothermal conditions by modulating the reaction time. Structural characterization has revealed that CPs 1 – 12 possess a unique one‐dimensional (1D) strip‐shaped structure containing two types of double‐helical chains and a double‐helical channel. CPs 2 a – 12 a show a three‐dimensional (3D) framework formed by Cu^I linking two types of homochiral layers with double‐helical channels. CPs 1 b – 9 b exhibit a 3D framework with single‐helical channels. CPs 6 b and 8 b display visible red and green luminescence of the Eu^III and Tb^III ions, respectively, sensitized by the bct ligand, and microsecond‐level lifetimes. CP 8 b shows a rare magnetic transition between short‐range ferromagnetic ordering at 110 K and long‐range ferromagnetic ordering below 10 K. CPs 9 a and 9 b display field‐induced single‐chain magnet (SCM) and/or single‐molecule magnet (SMM) behaviors, with U_eff values of 51.7 and 36.5 K, respectively.     

Synthesis of Lanthanide Coordination Polymers with Benzophenone-4,4′-dicarboxylate： Effect of Lanthanide Contraction on Structures

Four lanthanide coordination polymers with benzophenone‐4,4′‐dicarboxylic acid (H₂bpndc) and 1,10‐phenanthroline (phen), [Ln₂(bpndc)₃(phen)] (Ln=La (1), Pr (2) and Tb (3)), [Yb(bpndc)₁₅(phen)].05H₂O (4) were obtained through solvothermal synthesis. The crystallographic data show that 1, 2, and 3 are isostructural, the Ln(III) ions in 1, 2 and 3 are all eight‐ and ten‐coordinated, respectively, and thus the Ln(III) ions are connected by bpndc ligands, resulting in an interpenetrating 3D structure. While in 4, the Yb(III) ions are eight‐coordinated and connected by bpndc ligands into a 3D structure with 1D rhombic channels, which result from the effect of lanthanide contraction from La(III) to Yb(III) ions, and the bpndc ligands in 1, 2, 3, and 4 display three types of coordination modes.     

2,2′‐Bipyrimidine as Efficient Sensitizer of the Solid‐State Luminescence of Lanthanide and Uranyl Ions from Visible to Near‐Infrared

Treatment of Ln(NO₃)₃?nH₂O with 1 or 2 equiv 2,2′‐bipyrimidine (BPM) in dry THF readily afforded the monometallic complexes [Ln(NO₃)₃(bpm)₂] (Ln=Eu, Gd, Dy, Tm) or [Ln(NO₃)₃(bpm)₂]?THF (Ln=Eu, Tb, Er, Yb) after recrystallization from MeOH or THF, respectively. Reactions with nitrate salts of the larger lanthanide ions (Ln=Ce, Nd, Sm) yielded one of two distinct monometallic complexes, depending on the recrystallization solvent: [Ln(NO₃)₃(bpm)₂]?THF (Ln=Nd, Sm) from THF, or [Ln(NO₃)₃(bpm)(MeOH)₂]?MeOH (Ln=Ce, Nd, Sm) from MeOH. Treatment of UO₂(NO₃)₂?6H₂O with 1 equiv BPM in THF afforded the monoadduct [UO₂(NO₃)₂(bpm)] after recrystallization from MeOH. The complexes were characterized by their crystal structure. Solid‐state luminescence measurements on these monometallic complexes showed that BPM is an efficient sensitizer of the luminescence of both the lanthanide and the uranyl ions emitting visible light, as well as of the Yb^III ion emitting in the near‐IR. For Tb, Dy, Eu, and Yb complexes, energy transfer was quite efficient, resulting in quantum yields of 80.0, 5.1, 70.0, and 0.8 %, respectively. All these complexes in the solid state were stable in air.     

New insights into water‐soluble and water‐coordinated copper 15‐metallacrown‐5 gadolinium complexes designed for high‐field magnetic resonance imaging applications

The development of contrast agents specifically designed for high‐field magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is required because the relaxation efficiency of classic Gd(III) contrast agents significantly decreases with increasing magnetic field strengths. With an idea of exploring the unique structure of lanthanide (Ln) 15‐MC‐5 metallacrowns, we developed a series of water‐soluble Gd(III) aqua‐complexes, bearing aminohydroxamate (glycine, α‐alanine, α‐phenylalanine and α‐tyrosine) ligands, with increasing number of water molecules directly coordinated to the Gd(III) ion: Gd(H₂O)₄[15‐MC_Cu(II)Glyha‐5](Cl)₃ ( 1 (Gd)), Gd(H₂O)₄[15‐MC_Cu(II)Alaha‐5](Cl)₃ ( 2 (Gd)), Gd(H₂O)₃[15‐MC_{Cu(II)Phalaha}‐5](Cl)₃ ( 3 (Gd)) and Gd(H₂O)₃[15‐MC_Cu(II)Tyrha‐5](Cl)₃ ( 4 (Gd)). In these systems, the Ln(III) central ion is coordinated by five oxygen donor atoms of the ligands and three or four inner‐sphere water molecules. The X‐ray crystal structure of metallacrown Ln(H₂O)_3,4[15‐MC_Cu(II)Rha‐5]³⁺ agrees with density functional theory predictions. The calculations demonstrate that the exchange of coordinated water molecules can proceed easily, resulting in increased relaxivity parameters. The longitudinal relaxivities (r₁) of 1 (Gd)– 4 (Gd) in water at ultrahigh magnetic field of 9.4 T were determined to be 11.5, 14.8, 13.9 and 12.2 mM^?1 s^?1, respectively. The ability to increase the number of Ln(III) inner‐sphere water molecules up to four, the planar metallacrown structure and the rich hydration shell due to strong hydrogen bonds between the [15‐MC‐5] moiety and bulk water molecules provide new opportunities for potential MRI applications.     

Three Isostructural 4‐Sulfophthalate‐Based Lanthanide Complexes: Syntheses,Crystal Structures,and Luminescent Properties

Three lanthanide complexes with the ligand 4‐sulfophthalate (sp^3–), [Ln(H₂O)₂(sp)]_n [Ln = Dy ( 1 ), Tb ( 2 ), and Er ( 3 )], were solvo‐/hydrothermally synthesized by changing the rare earth cations, and were characterized structurally and photophysically. Complexes 1 – 3 are isostructural, exhibiting a two‐dimensional layered structure with centrosymmetric dinuclear subunits infinitely extended by 4‐connected sp^3– connectors. Photoluminescence spectra of 1 – 3 demonstrate that anionic sp^3– ligand can serve as a functionalized chromophore to sensitize the luminescent emission of the lanthanide ion, suggesting that the sp^3–‐involved lanthanide complexes can be used as novel optical materials.     

One‐dimensional Salen‐type Chain‐like Lanthanide(III) Coordination Polymers: Syntheses,Crystal Structures,and Fluorescence Properties

Four salen‐type lanthanide(III) coordination polymers [LnH₂L(NO₃)₃(MeOH)_x]_n [Ln = La ( 1 ), Ce ( 2 ), Sm ( 3 ), Gd ( 4 )] were prepared by reaction of Ln(NO₃)₃ · 6H₂O with H₂L [H₂L = N,N′‐bis(salicylidene)‐1,2‐cyclohexanediamine]. Single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction analysis revealed that H₂L effectively functions as a bridging ligand forming a series of 1D chain‐like polymers. The solid‐state fluorescence spectra of polymers 1 and 2 emit single ligand‐centered green fluorescence, whereas 3 exhibits typical red fluorescence of Sm^III ions. The lowest triplet level of ligand H₂L was calculated on the basis of the phosphorescence spectrum of Gd^III complex 4 . The energy transfer mechanisms in the lanthanide polymers were described and discussed.     

An experimental and computational approach to pH‐dependent self‐aggregation of poly(2‐isopropyl‐2‐oxazoline)

Besides temperature, self‐aggregation of poly(2‐isopropyl‐2‐oxazoline) (PIPOX) can also be triggered via pH in aqueous solution (25 °C, pH > 5). Lowest energy structures and interaction energies of PIPOX with H₃O⁺, OH^?, and H₂O were calculated by DFT methods showed that, in addition to their ability to protonate PIPOX, H₃O⁺ ions had strong interaction with both water and PIPOX in acidic conditions. H₃O⁺ ions acted as compatibilizer between PIPOX and water and increased the solubility of PIPOX. OH^? ions were found to have stronger interaction with water compared to PIPOX resulting in desorption of water molecules from PIPOX phase and decreased solubility, leading to enhanced hydrophobic interactions among isopropyl groups of PIPOX and formation of aggregates at high pH. Results concerning the effect of end‐groups on aggregate size were in good agreement with statistical mechanics calculations. Moreover, the effect of polymer concentration on the aggregate size was examined. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2019 , 57, 210–221     

Picomolar Traces of Americium(III) Introduce Drastic Changes in the Structural Chemistry of Terbium(III): A Break in the “Gadolinium Break”

The crystallization of terbium 5,5′‐azobis[1H‐tetrazol‐1‐ide] (ZT) in the presence of trace amounts (ca. 50 Bq, ca. 1.6 pmol) of americium results in 1) the accumulation of the americium tracer in the crystalline solid and 2) a material that adopts a different crystal structure to that formed in the absence of americium. Americium‐doped [Tb(Am)(H₂O)₇ZT]₂ ZT⋅10 H₂O is isostructural to light lanthanide (Ce–Gd) 5,5′‐azobis[1H‐tetrazol‐1‐ide] compounds, rather than to the heavy lanthanide (Tb–Lu) 5,5′‐azobis[1H ‐tetrazol‐1‐ide] (e.g., [Tb(H₂O)₈]₂ZT₃⋅6 H₂O) derivatives. Traces of Am seem to force the Tb compound into a structure normally preferred by the lighter lanthanides, despite a 10⁸‐fold Tb excess. The americium‐doped material was studied by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction, vibrational spectroscopy, radiochemical neutron activation analysis, and scanning electron microcopy. In addition, the inclusion properties of terbium 5,5′‐azobis[1H‐tetrazol‐1‐ide] towards americium were quantified, and a model for the crystallization process is proposed.     

Photoluminescence Properties of Lanthanide‐Organic Frameworks (LnOFs) with Thiophene‐2,5‐Dicarboxylate and Acetate

S‐heterocyclic dicarboxylic acid, thiophene‐2,5‐dicarboxylic acid (H₂TDC), was employed to construct a series of lanthanide‐organic frameworks (LnOFs) with coligand acetate, formulated as [Ln(TDC)(OAc)(H₂O)]_n [Ln = Eu ( 1 ), Tb ( 2 ), Gd ( 3 ), Dy ( 4 ), Sm ( 5 )] under hydrothermal conditions. Structure analysis reveals that 1 – 5 have dinuclear 3D metal organic frameworks (MOFs), in which TDC^2– and OAc^– display (κ¹‐κ¹)‐(κ¹–κ¹)‐μ₄ and (κ²‐κ¹)‐μ₂ coordination fashions, respectively. The dehydrated products of all compounds show high thermal stability above 410 °C. As for 1 , 2 , 4 , and 5 , the photoluminescence analyses exhibit characteristic luminescence emission bands of the corresponding lanthanide ions in the visible region. In particular, compound 2 displays bright green luminescence in the solid state with ⁵D₄ lifetime of 0.510 ms and relative high overall quantum yield of 16 %, based on an ideal energy gap between the lowest triplet state energy level of H₂TDC ligand and the ⁵D₄ state energy level of Tb³⁺. The energy transfer mechanisms in compounds 1 and 2 were also discussed.     

Synthesis,spectral, antimicrobial,and thermal properties of Ce(III), Gd(III), Nd(III), Tb(III), and Er(III) gliclazide complexes

The complexation between the lanthanide metal ions Ce(III), Gd(III), Nd(III), Tb(III), and Er(III) and gliclazide produced 1 : 1 molar ratio metal: gliclazide (Glz) complexes coordinated in a monodentate fashion via the OH group and having the general formulas [M(Glz)Cl₃(H₂O)]·xH₂O (M = Ce, Gd, Nd and x = 1, 3, 4, respectively) and [M(Glz)(H₂O)₄]Cl₃·yH₂O (M = Tb, Er and y = 1, 2, respectively). The structure of the synthesized lanthanide gliclazide complexes was assigned by IR, ¹HNMR, and UV-Vis spectroscopy. Thermal analysis and kinetic and thermodynamic parameters gave evidence for the thermal stability of the Glz complexes. The latter showed a significant antimicrobial effect against some bacteria and fungi.     

Hollow‐fiber liquid‐phase microextraction for the direct determination of flumequine in urban wastewaters by flow‐injection analysis with terbium‐sensitized chemiluminescence

A flow‐injection analysis chemiluminescence method based on the enhancement effect of the flumequine‐Tb(III) complex on the weak native emission of the Ce(IV)‐Na₂SO₃ system has been developed for the determination of flumequine. The method includes a cleanup and preconcentration stage (750‐fold) of the sample by hollow‐fiber liquid‐phase microextraction using an Accurel^® Q 3/2 polypropylene hollow fiber impregnated with 1‐octanol as the supported liquid membrane. The obtained 50 μL acceptor phase was injected in a 1 mM Tb(III) + 4 mM Ce(IV) in 5% v/v H₂SO₄ stream and mixed with a 2 mM Na₂SO₃ stream before its introduction into the flow cell. The chemiluminescence signal was linear in the 0.3–15 ng/mL range, with detection and quantitation limits of 0.1 and 0.3 ng/mL, respectively. The method allows the selective extraction and determination of flumequine in wastewater samples, using simpler and lower‐cost instrumentation and with shorter extraction and analysis times than traditional high‐performance liquid chromatography analysis.     

Supramacromolecular chemistry: Self‐assembly of polystyrene‐based multi‐armed pseudorotaxane star polymers from multi‐topic C60 derivatives

Multitopic dibenzylammonium derivatives ( 4 ) of C₆₀ were prepared by Bingel reactions of C₆₀ with a malonate diester ( 2 ) containing two t‐BOC protected dibenzylamine moieties, followed by deprotection and protonation. Self‐assembly of model pseudorotaxanes 5 from the multidibenzylammonium C₆₀ derivatives with dibenzo‐24‐crown‐8 was studied by ¹H NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. Self‐assembly of linear and star‐shaped pseudorotaxanes 8 with up to 12 arms based on polystyrenes bearing terminal DB24C8 host units ( 7 ) and the guest functionalized C₆₀ salts was demonstrated by ¹H NMR spectroscopy and solution phase viscometry. These studies provide further evidence of the potential of supramacromolecular chemistry in construction of complex polymeric architectures. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 47: 6472–6495, 2009     

Dinuclear Complexes of Copper(I) with Crown Ether‐containing N‐Thiophosphorylated Bis‐thioureas and 2,2′‐Bipyridine or 1,10‐Phenanthroline: Synthesis,Characterization, and Picrate Extraction Properties

Reaction of O,O′‐diisopropylthiophosphoric acid isothiocyanate (iPrO)₂P(S)NCS with 1,10‐diaza‐18‐crown‐6, 1,7‐diaza‐18‐crown‐6, or 1,7‐diaza‐15‐crown‐5 leads to the N‐thiophosphorylated bis‐thioureas N,N′‐bis[C(S)NHP(S)(OiPr)₂]‐1,10‐diaza‐18‐crown‐6 ( H₂L^I ), N,N′‐bis[C(S)NHP(S)(OiPr)₂]‐1,7‐diaza‐18‐crown‐6 ( H₂L^II ) and N,N′‐bis[C(S)NHP(S)(OiPr)₂]‐1,7‐diaza‐15‐crown‐5 ( H₂L^III ). Reaction of the potassium salts of H₂L^I–III with a mixture of CuI and 2,2′‐bipyridine ( bpy ) or 1,10‐phenanthroline ( phen ) in aqueous EtOH/CH₂Cl₂ leads to the dinuclear complexes [Cu₂(bpy)₂L^I–III] and [Cu₂(phen)₂L^I–III] . The structures of these compounds were investigated by ¹H, ³¹P{¹H} NMR spectroscopy, and elemental analysis. The crystal structures of H₂L^I and [Cu₂(phen)₂L^I] were determined by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction. Extraction capacities of the obtained compounds in comparison to the related compounds 1,10‐diaza‐18‐crown‐6, N,N′‐bis[C(=CMe₂)CH₂P(O)(OiPr)₂]‐1,10‐diaza‐18‐crown‐6, N,N′‐bis[C(S)NHP(O)(OiPr)₂]‐1,10‐diaza‐18‐crown‐6 towards the picrate salts LiPic, NaPic, KPic. and NH₄Pic were also studied.     

Synthese und Kristallstruktur von Terbium(III)‐meta‐Oxoborat Tb(BO2)3 (≡ TbB3O6)

Synthesis and Crystal Structure of Terbium(III) meta‐Oxoborate Tb(BO₂)₃ (≡ TbB₃O₆) The terbium meta‐oxoborate Tb(BO₂)₃ (≡ TbB₃O₆) is obtained as single crystals by the reaction of terbium, Tb₄O₇ and TbCl₃ with an excess of B₂O₃ in gastight sealed platinum ampoules at 950 °C after three weeks. The compound appears to be air‐ and water‐resistant and crystallizes as long, thin, colourless needles which tend to growth‐twinning due to their marked fibrous habit. The crystal structure of Tb(BO₂)₃ (orthorhombic, Pnma; a = 1598.97(9), b = 741.39(4), c = 1229.58(7) pm; Z = 16) contains strongly corrugated oxoborate layers {(BO₂)^‐} built of vertex‐linked [BO₄]^5‐ tetrahedra (d(B‐O) = 143 ‐ 154 pm, ?(O‐B‐O) = 102‐115°) which spread out parallel (100). The four crystallographically different Tb³⁺ cations all exhibit coordination numbers of eight towards the oxygen atoms (d(Tb‐O) = 228‐287 pm). The corresponding metal cation polyhedra [TbO₈]¹³⁺ too convene to layers (composition: {(Tb₂O₁₁)^16‐}) which are likewise oriented parallel to the (100) plane.     

A Three‐dimensional DyIII‐based Metal‐organic Framework: Smart Drug Carrier and Anti‐lung Cancer Activity

A 3D lanthanide metal‐organic framework (MOF) with the formula [Dy₂(L)₂(H₂O)₂]_n ( 1 ) (H₃L = biphenyl‐3,4′,5‐tricarboxylic acid) was synthesized under solvothermal conditions and structurally characterized by elemental analysis, powder X‐ray diffraction analysis, infrared spectroscopy, and single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction analysis. Compound 1 features a 3D porous framework based on 1D rod‐shaped Dy^III‐carboxylate chains. The efficient encapsulation and controllable release of an anticancer drug (5‐Fu) make it a promising drug delivery host. Furthermore, the GCMC simulation was used to probe the drug‐framework interaction at the atomic lever. The in vitro anti‐lung cancer activity of 1 and 5‐Fu loaded 1a were also evaluated using MTT assay.     

Controllable Synthesis of Porphyrin‐Based 2D Lanthanide Metal–Organic Frameworks with Thickness‐ and Metal‐Node‐Dependent Photocatalytic Performance

Synthesizing 2D metal–organic frameworks (2D MOFs) in high yields and rational tailoring of the properties in a predictable manner for specific applications is extremely challenging. Now, a series of porphyrin‐based 2D lanthanide MOFs (Ln‐TCPP, Ln=Ce, Sm, Eu, Tb, Yb, TCPP=tetrakis(4‐carboxyphenyl) porphyrin) with different thickness were successfully prepared in a household microwave oven. The as‐prepared 2D Ln‐TCPP nanosheets showed thickness‐dependent photocatalytic performances towards photooxidation of 1,5‐dihydroxynaphthalene (1,5‐DHN) to synthesize juglone. Particularly, the Yb‐TCPP displayed outstanding photodynamic activity to generate O₂^? and ¹O₂. This work not only provides fundamental insights into structure designing and property tailoring of 2D MOFs nanosheets, but also pave a new way to improve the photocatalytic performance.