Syntheses,Structures, Magnetic Properties,and NIR Emission Properties of a Series of Novel 1, 2, 4, 5‐Cyclohexanetetracarboxylate‐bridged Lanthanide Complexes with 3D Framework Structures

Solvothermal combination of trivalent lanthanide metal precursors with 1, 2, 4, 5‐cyclohexanetetracarboxylic acid (L) ligand has afforded the preparation of a family of eight new coordination polymers [Ln₄(L)₃(H₂O)₁₀] · 7H₂O (Ln = Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb) ( 1 – 8 ). Structural analyses reveal that the 1, 2, 4, 5‐cyclohexanetetracarboxylic acid ligand with e,a,a,e (L^I) conformation displays a μ₄‐(κ³O, O, O⁵)(κ²O²,O²)(κ²O⁴,O⁴)‐bridging mode to generate 3D frameworks of complexes 1 – 8 and the α‐Po topology with the short Schläfli symbol {4¹².6³} could be observed in complexes 1 – 8 . The near‐infrared luminescence properties were studied, and the results have shown that the Ho^III, Er^III, and Yb^III complexes emit typical near‐infrared luminescence in the solid‐state. Variable‐temperature magnetic susceptibility measurements of complexes 2 – 7 have shown that complex 2 (Gd) shows the ferromagnetic coupling between magnetic centers, whereas the complexes 3 – 7 show the antiferromagnetic coupling between magnetic centers. Additionally, the thermogravimetric analyses were discussed.     

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.     

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.     

Lanthanide(III) (Eu,Gd, Tb,Dy) Complexes Derived from 4‐(Pyridin‐2‐yl)methyleneamino‐1,2,4‐triazole: Crystal Structure,Magnetic Properties,and Photoluminescence

The reaction of lanthanide(III) nitrates with 4‐(pyridin‐2‐yl)methyleneamino‐1,2,4‐triazole (L) was studied. The compounds [Ln(NO₃)₃(H₂O)₃] ? 2 L, in which Ln=Eu ( 1 ), Gd ( 2 ), Tb ( 3 ), or Dy ( 4 ), obtained in a mixture of MeCN/EtOH have the same structure, as shown by XRD. In the crystals of these compounds, the mononuclear complex units [Ln(NO₃)₃(H₂O)₃] are linked to L molecules through intermolecular hydrogen‐bonding interactions to form a 2D polymeric supramolecular architecture. An investigation into the optical characteristics of the Eu³⁺‐, Tb³⁺‐, and Dy³⁺‐containing compounds ( 1 , 3 , and 4 ) showed that these complexes displayed metal‐centered luminescence. According to magnetic measurements, compound 4 exhibits single‐ion magnet behavior, with ΔE_eff/k_B=86 K in a field of 1500 Oe.     

The Series of Rare Earth Complexes [Ln2Cl6(μ‐4,4′‐bipy)(py)6], Ln=Y,Pr, Nd,Sm‐Yb: A Molecular Model System for Luminescence Properties in MOFs Based on LnCl3 and 4,4′‐Bipyridine

A series of 12 dinuclear complexes [Ln₂Cl₆(μ‐4,4′‐bipy)(py)₆], Ln=Y, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, ( 1 – 12 , respectively) was synthesized by an anhydrous solvothermal reaction in pyridine. The complexes contain a 4,4′‐bipyridine bridge and exhibit a coordination sphere closely related to luminescent lanthanide MOFs based on LnCl₃ and 4,4‐bipyridine. The dinuclear complexes therefore function as a molecular model system to provide a better understanding of the luminescence mechanisms in the Ln‐N‐MOFs ${\hbox{}{{\hfill 2\atop \hfill \infty }}}$ [Ln₂Cl₆(4,4′‐bipy)₃] ? 2(4,4′‐bipy). Accordingly, the luminescence properties of the complexes with Ln=Y, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, ( 1 , 4 – 8 ) were determined, showing an antenna effect through a ligand–metal energy transfer. The highest efficiency of luminescence is observed for the terbium‐based compound 7 displaying a high quantum yield (QY of 86 %). Excitation with UV light reveals typical emission colors of lanthanide‐dependent intra 4f–4f‐transition emissions in the visible range (Tb^III: green, Eu^III: red, Sm^III: salmon red, Dy^III: yellow). For the Gd^III‐ and Y^III‐containing compounds 6 and 1 , blue emission based on triplet phosphorescence is observed. Furthermore, ligand‐to‐metal charge‐transfer (LMCT) states, based on the interaction of Cl^? with Eu^III, were observed for the Eu^III compound 5 including energy‐transfer processes to the Eu^III ion. Altogether, the model complexes give further insights into the luminescence of the related MOFs, for example, rationalization of Ln‐independent quantum yields in the related MOFs.     

Linear {NiII–LnIII–NiII} Complexes Containing Twisted Planar Ni(μ‐phenolate)2Ln Fragments: Synthesis,Structure, and Magnetothermal Properties

Sequential reaction of a multisite LH₄ ligand {2‐[2‐hydroxy‐3‐(hydroxymethyl)‐5‐methylbenzylideneamino]‐2‐methylpropane‐1,3‐diol} with appropriate lanthanide salts followed by the addition of Ni(NO₃)₂ ? 6 H₂O in a 4:1:2 stoichiometric ratio in the presence of triethylamine afforded four heterobimetallic trinuclear complexes [Ni₂Gd(LH₃)₄] ? 3 NO₃ ? 3 MeOH ? H₂O ? CH₃CN ( 1 ), [Ni₂Tb(LH₃)₄] ? 3 NO₃ ? 3 MeOH ? CH₃CN ( 2 ), [Ni₂Dy(LH₃)₄] ? 3 NO₃ ? 3 MeOH ? H₂O ? CH₃CN ( 3 ), and [Ni₂Ho(LH₃)₄] ? 3 NO₃ ? 3 MeOH ? H₂O ? CH₃CN ( 4 ). Complexes 1 – 4 possess linear trimetallic cores with a central lanthanide ion. Magnetic studies revealed a predominant ferromagnetic interaction between the Ni and Ln centers. Alternating current susceptibility measurements of complex 3 showed a small frequency dependence of the out‐of‐phase signal, χ′′_M , under zero direct current field, but without achieving a net maximum above 2 K. Magnetic studies on 1 revealed that it has a significant magnetocaloric effect.     

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.     

A Series of New Eu/Tb Mixed MOFs with Tunable Color Luminescence

Two isostructural lanthanide metal‐organic frameworks [Ln‐MOFs, Ln = Tb ( 1 ), Eu ( 8 )] containing oxalic acid ligand with green, red luminescence were solvothermally synthesized. A series of Eu/Tb mixed MOFs ( 2 – 7 ), (C₅H₆N)₂[Eu_xTb_2–x(H₂O)₂(C₂O₄)₄] · 2H₂O, were designed and obtained, which displayed highly tunable luminescence color by adjusting the excitation wavelength. Complexes 1 – 8 were characterized by IR, elemental analysis, ICP, powder XRD, and TG measurements. The quantum yields of the complexes 1 – 8 range from 6.89 to 4.15 %, whereas the fluorescence lifetime of 1 – 8 varies between 1.12 and 0.87 ms. Therefore, with the increase of the molar ratio of Eu, the quantum yields and fluorescence lifetime of the complexes 1 – 8 gradually decrease.     

Construction of three types of lanthanide complexes based on 3,4‐dimethylbenzoic acid and 5,5′‐dimethyl‐2,2′‐bipyridine: Syntheses,Structures, Thermodynamic properties,Luminescence, and Bacteriostatic activities

Three novel lanthanide complexes [Er (3,4‐DMBA)₃(5,5′‐DM‐2,2′‐bipy)(H₂O)] ( 1 ); [Tb₂ (3,4‐DMBA)₆(5,5′‐DM‐2,2′‐bipy)₂(H₂O)] ( 2 ); [Eu (3,4‐DMBA)₃(3,4‐DMHBA)(5,5′‐DM‐2,2′‐bipy)]₂ ( 3 ) (3,4‐DMHBA = 3,4‐dimethylbenzoic acid, 5,5′‐DM‐2,2′‐bipy =5,5′‐dimethyl‐2,2′‐bipyridine) were successfully synthesized via conventional solution method at room temperature and structurally characterized by single crystal diffraction. The structures of the complexes 1 – 3 were confirmed on the basis of elemental analysis, coordination titration analysis, IR and XRD. The molecular structures of complexes 2 and 3 are very particular: complex 2 has two same central metal ions but each metal ion has different coordination environment; in structure of the complex 3 , there are eight carboxylic acid ligands coordinated to the central metal ions, which have rarely been reported previously. The thermal decomposition mechanism of complexes 1 – 3 were investigated by the technology of simultaneous TG/DSC‐FTIR. The heat capacities of the complexes were recorded by means of DSC over the range of from 253.15 K to 345.15 K. The thermodynamic parameters, the smoothed values of heat capacities, enthalpy (H_T‐H_298.15K) and entropy (S_T‐S_298.15K) were also calculated. The bacteriostatic activities of the complexes were evaluated against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Candida albicans. What's more, the luminescence properties of complexes 2 and 3 were discussed, and their fluorescence lifetimes as well as the quantum yield of the Eu (III) were measured. To elucidate the energy transfer process of complexes 2 and 3, the energy levels of the relevant electronic states have been estimated.     

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.     

Remarkable Tuning of the Coordination and Photophysical Properties of Lanthanide Ions in a Series of Tetrazole‐Based Complexes

A series of seven new tetrazole‐based ligands (L1, L3–L8) containing terpyridine or bipyridine chromophores suited to the formation of luminescent complexes of lanthanides have been synthesized. All ligands were prepared from the respective carbonitriles by thermal cycloaddition of sodium azide. The crystal structures of the homoleptic terpyridine–tetrazolate complexes [Ln(Li)₂]NHEt₃ (Ln=Nd, Eu, Tb for i=1, 2; Ln=Eu for i=3, 4) and of the monoaquo bypyridine–tetrazolate complex [Eu(H₂O)(L7)₂]NHEt₃ were determined. The tetradentate bipyridine–tetrazolate ligand forms nonhelical complexes that can contain a water molecule coordinated to the metal. Conversely, the pentadentate terpyridine–tetrazolate ligands wrap around the metal, thereby preventing solvent coordination and forming chiral double‐helical complexes similarly to the analogue terpyridine–carboxylate. Proton NMR spectroscopy studies show that the solid‐state structures of these complexes are retained in solution and indicate the kinetic stability of the hydrophobic complexes of terpyridine–tetrazolates. UV spectroscopy results suggest that terpyridine–tetrazolate complexes have a similar stability to their carboxylate analogues, which is sufficient for their isolation in aerobic conditions. The replacement of the carboxylate group with tetrazolate extends the absorption window of the corresponding terpyridine‐ (≈20 nm) and bipyridine‐based (25 nm) complexes towards the visible region (up to 440 nm). Moreover, the substitution of the terpyridine–tetrazolate system with different groups in the ligand series L3–L6 has a very important effect on both absorption spectra and luminescence efficiency of their lanthanide complexes. The tetrazole‐based ligands L1 and L3–L8 sensitize efficiently the luminescent emission of lanthanide ions in the visible and near‐IR regions with quantum yields ranging from 5 to 53 % for Eu^III complexes, 6 to 35 % for Tb^III complexes, and 0.1 to 0.3 % for Nd^III complexes, which is among the highest reported for a neodymium complex. The luminescence efficiency could be related to the energy of the ligand triplet states, which are strongly correlated to the ligand structures.     

Luminescence Tuning and White‐Light Emission of Co‐doped Ln–Cd–Organic Frameworks

Four new three‐dimensional isostructural lanthanide–cadmium metal–organic frameworks (Ln–Cd MOFs), [LnCd₂(imdc)₂(Ac)(H₂O)₂]?H₂O (Ln=Pr ( 1 ), Eu ( 2 ), Gd ( 3 ), and Tb ( 4 ); H₃imdc=4,5‐imidazoledicarboxylic acid; Ac=acetate), have been synthesized under hydrothermal conditions and characterized by IR, elemental analyses, inductively coupled plasma (ICP) analysis, and X‐ray diffraction. Single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction shows that two Ln^III ions are surrounded by four Cd^II ions to form a heteronuclear building block. The blocks are further linked to form 3D Ln–Cd MOFs by the bridging imdc^3? ligand. Furthermore, the left‐ and right‐handed helices array alternatively in the lattice. Eu–Cd and Tb–Cd MOFs can emit characteristic red light with the Eu^III ion and green light with the Tb^III ion, respectively, while both Gd–Cd and Pr–Cd MOFs generate blue emission when they are excited. Different concentrations of Eu³⁺ and Tb³⁺ ions were co‐doped into Gd–Cd/Pr–Cd MOFs, and tunable luminescence from yellow to white was achieved. White‐light emission was obtained successfully by adjusting the excitation wavelength or the co‐doping ratio of the co‐doped Gd–Cd and Pr–Cd MOFs. These results show that the relative emission intensity of white light for Gd–Cd:Eu³⁺,Tb³⁺ MOFs is stronger than that of Pr–Cd:Eu³⁺,Tb³⁺ MOFs, which implies that the Gd complex is a better matrix than the Pr complex to obtain white‐light emission materials.     

Four novel lanthanide complexes with 4‐ethylbenzoic acid and 5,5′‐dimethy‐2,2′‐bipyridine: Structures,luminescent, thermal properties and bacteriostatic activities

Four new lanthanide complexes [Ln(4‐EBA)₃(5,5′‐DM‐2,2′‐bipy)]₂·2C₂H₅OH (Ln = Ho ( 1 ), Tb ( 2 ), Er ( 3 )); [Ln(4‐EBA)₃(4‐EBAH)(5,5′‐DM‐2,2′‐bipy)]₂ (Ln = Eu( 4 ); 4‐EBA =4‐ethylbenzoate; 5,5′‐DM‐2,2′‐bipy =5,5′‐dimethy‐2,2′‐bipyridine; 4‐EBAH = 4‐ethylbenzoic acid) have been synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis and IR spectra. The single crystal results reveal that complexes 1 – 3 are isostructural. It is worth noting that the mole ratios of the carboxylate ligands and neutral ligands is 4:1 in complex 4 , which is different from the former and has been rarely reported. Nevertheless, all complexes are connected to form 1D chain by π ···π wake staking interactions. Additionally, the complexes 2 (Tb(III)) and 4 (Eu(III)) exhibit characteristic luminescent properties, indicating that ligands can be used as sensitizing chromophore in these systems. The thermal decomposition mechanism of the complexes has been investigated by TG/DSC–FTIR technology. Stacked plots of the FTIR spectra of the evolved gases show complexes broken down into H₂O, CO₂, and other gaseous molecules as well as the gaseous organic fragments. The studies on bacteriostatic activities of complexes show that four complexes have good bacteriostatic activities against Candida albicans but no bacteriostatic activity on Escherichia coli , and Staphylococcus aureus . Additionally, the complexes 1 to 3 have better bacteriostatic activities on Candida albicans than complex 4 .     

Highly Efficient Visible‐to‐NIR Luminescence of Lanthanide(III) Complexes with Zwitterionic Ligands Bearing Charge‐Transfer Character: Beyond Triplet Sensitization

Two zwitterionic‐type ligands featuring π–π* and intraligand charge‐transfer (ILCT) excited states, namely 1,1′‐(2,3,5,6‐tetramethyl‐1,4‐phenylene)bis(methylene)dipyridinium‐4‐olate (TMPBPO) and 1‐dodecylpyridin‐4(1 H)‐one (DOPO), have been prepared and applied to the assembly of lanthanide coordination complexes in an effort to understand the ligand‐direction effect on the structure of the Ln complexes and the ligand sensitization effect on the luminescence of the Ln complexes. Due to the wide‐band triplet states plus additional ILCT excitation states extending into lower energy levels, broadly and strongly sensitized photoluminescence of f→f transitions from various Ln³⁺ ions were observed to cover the visible to near‐infrared (NIR) regions. Among which, the Pr, Sm, Dy, and Tm complexes simultaneously display both strong visible and NIR emissions. Based on the isostructural feature of the Ln complexes, color tuning and single‐component white light was achieved by preparation of solid solutions of the ternary systems Gd‐Eu‐Tb (for TMPBPO) and La‐Eu‐Tb and La‐Dy‐Sm (for DOPO). Moreover, the visible and NIR luminescence lifetimes of the Ln complexes with the TMPBPO ligand were investigated from 77 to 298 K, revealing a strong temperature dependence of the Tm³⁺ (³H₄) and Yb³⁺ (²F_5/2) decay dynamics, which has not been explored before for their coordination complexes.     

Syntheses and Structures of Three New Copper(II) Coordination Polymers Involving 2, 2‐(4, 6‐Dinitro‐1, 3‐phenylenedioxy)­diacetic Acid

Three copper(II) coordination polymers, namely, {[CuL(H₂O)₂] · 4H₂O}_n( 1 ), [CuL(H₂O)(DMF)]_n( 2 ), and [CuL(2, 2′‐bipy)(DMSO)] · DMSO ( 3 ) [H₂L = 2, 2′‐(4, 6‐dinitro‐1, 3‐phenyl‐enedioxy)diacetic acid] were synthesized in different solvents (H₂O, DMF, and DMSO). X‐ray single crystal diffraction studies show that both complexes 1 and 3 belong to triclinic crystal system and P$\bar{1}$ space group and complex 2 belongs to the monoclinic crystal system and P2₁/c space group. In three complexes, all the central Cu^II ions coordinate with the ligand, forming a square pyramidal configuration. Both complexes 1 and 2 show similar 1D chain‐like structure and the chains are further connected by hydrogen bonds, forming 3D frameworks. Complex 3 exhibits a 0D structure due to the introduction of the ligand 2, 2′‐bipy. In addition, the luminescence properties of these complexes were investigated.     

Complexation Properties of N,N′,N″,N′′′‐[1,4,7,10‐Tetraazacyclododecane‐1,4,7,10‐tetrayltetrakis(1‐oxoethane‐2,1‐diyl)]tetrakis[glycine] (H4dotagl). Equilibrium,Kinetic, and Relaxation Behavior of the Lanthanide(III) Complexes

Eu³⁺, Dy³⁺, and Yb³⁺ complexes of the dota‐derived tetramide N,N′,N″,N′′′‐[1,4,7,10‐tetraazacyclododecane‐1,4,7,10‐tetrayltetrakis(1‐oxoethane‐2,1‐diyl)]tetrakis[glycine] (H₄dotagl) are potential CEST contrast agents in MRI. In the [Ln(dotagl)] complexes, the Ln³⁺ ion is in the cage formed by the four ring N‐atoms and the amide O‐atom donor atoms, and a H₂O molecule occupies the ninth coordination site. The stability constants of the [Ln(dotagl)] complexes are ca. 10 orders of magnitude lower than those of the [Ln(dota)] analogues (H₄dota=1,4,7,10‐tetraazacyclododecane‐1,4,7,10‐tetraacetic acid). The free carboxylate groups in [Ln(dotagl)] are protonated in the pH range 1–5, resulting in mono‐, di‐, tri‐, and tetraprotonated species. Complexes with divalent metals (Mg²⁺, Ca²⁺, and Cu²⁺) are also of relatively low stability. At pH>8, Cu²⁺ forms a hydroxo complex; however, the amide H‐atom(s) does not dissociate due to the absence of anchor N‐atom(s), which is the result of the rigid structure of the ring. The relaxivities of [Gd(dotagl)] decrease from 10 to 25°, then increase between 30–50°. This unusual trend is interpreted with the low H₂O‐exchange rate. The [Ln(dotagl)] complexes form slowly, via the equilibrium formation of a monoprotonated intermediate, which deprotonates and rearranges to the product in a slow, OH^?‐catalyzed reaction. The formation rates are lower than those for the corresponding Ln(dota) complexes. The dissociation rate of [Eu(dotagl)] is directly proportional to [H⁺] (0.1–1.0M HClO₄); the proton‐assisted dissociation rate is lower for [Eu(H₄dotagl)] (k₁=8.1?10^?6 M ^?1 s^?1) than for [Eu(dota)] (k₁=1.4?10^?5 M ^?1 s^?1).     

Six Coordination Polymers based on 4‐(1H‐Imidazol‐1‐yl)phthalic Acid: Structural Diversities,Magnetism and Luminescence Properties

The coordination polymers (CPs), [Ni(L)(H₂O)₄]_n ( 1 ), [Co(HL)₂(H₂O)₂]_n ( 2 ), {[Cu(L)(H₂O)₃] · H₂O}_n ( 3 ), [Mn(L)(H₂O)₂]_n ( 4 ), [Cd(L)(H₂O)₂]_n ( 5 ), and {[Zn₂(L)₂] · H₂O}_n ( 6 ), were solvothermally synthesized by employing the imidazol‐carboxyl bifunctional ligand 4‐(1H‐imidazol‐1‐yl) phthalic acid (H₂L). Single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction indicated that the L^2–/HL^– ligands display various coordination modes with different metal ions in 1 – 6 . Complexes 1 and 2 show one‐dimensional (1D) chain structures, whereas complexes 3 – 6 show 2D layered structures. The magnetic properties of these complexes were investigated. Complexes 1 and 3 indicate weak ferromagnetic interactions, whereas complexes 2 and 4 demonstrate antiferromagnetic interactions. In addition, luminescence properties of 5 and 6 were measured and studied in detail.     

Water Stability and Luminescence of Lanthanide Complexes of Tripodal Ligands Derived from 1,4,7‐Triazacyclononane: Pyridinecarboxamide versus Pyridinecarboxylate Donors

A series of europium(III) and terbium(III) complexes of three 1,4,7‐triazacyclononane‐based pyridine containing ligands were synthesized. The three ligands differ from each other in the substitution of the pyridine pendant arm, namely they have a carboxylic acid, an ethylamide, or an ethyl ester substituent, i.e., these ligands are 6,6′,6″‐[1,4,7‐triazacyclononane‐1,4,7‐triyltris(methylene)]tris[pyridine‐2‐carboxylic acid] (H₃tpatcn), ‐tris[pyridine‐2‐carboxamide] (tpatcnam), and ‐tris[pyridine‐2‐carboxylic acid] triethyl ester (tpatcnes) respectively. The quantum yields of both the europium(III) and terbium(III) emission, upon ligand excitation, were highly dependent upon ligand substitution, with a ca. 50‐fold decrease for the carboxamide derivative in comparison to the picolinic acid (=pyridine‐2‐carboxylic acid) based ligand. Detailed analysis of the radiative rate constants and the energy of the triplet states for the three ligand systems revealed a less efficient energy transfer for the carboxamide‐based systems. The stability of the three ligand systems in H₂O was investigated. Although hydrolysis of the ethyl ester occurred in H₂O for the [Ln(tpatcnes)](OTf)₃ complexes, the tripositive [Ln(tpatcnam)](OTf)₃ complexes and the neutral [Ln(tpatcn)] complexes showed high stability in H₂O which makes them suitable for application in biological media. The [Tb(tpatcn)] complex formed easily in H₂O and was thermodynamically stable at physiological pH (pTb 14.9), whereas the [Ln(tpatcnam)](OTf)₃ complexes showed a very high kinetic stability in H₂O, and once prepared in organic solvents, remained undissociated in H₂O.     

Lanthanide(III) Complexes of 2‐[4,7,10‐Tris(phosphonomethyl)‐1,4,7,10‐tetraazacyclododecan‐1‐yl]acetic Acid (H7DOA3P): Multinuclear‐NMR and Kinetic Studies

The protonation constants of 2‐[4,7,10‐tris(phosphonomethyl)‐1,4,7,10‐tetraazacyclododecan‐1‐yl]acetic acid (H₇DOA3P) and of the complexes [Ln(DOA3P)]^4? (Ln=Ce, Pr, Sm, Eu, and Yb) have been determined by multinuclear NMR spectroscopy in the range pD 2–13.8, without control of ionic strength. Seven out of eleven protonation steps were detected (pK =13.66, 12.11, 7.19, 6.15, 5.77, 2.99, and 1.99), and the values found compare well with the ones recently determined by potentiometry for H₇DOA3P, and for other related ligands. The overall basicity of H₇DOA3P is higher than that of H₄DOTA and trans‐H₆DO2A2P but lower than that of H₈DOTP. Based on multinuclear‐NMR spectroscopy, the protonation sequence for H₇DOA3P was also tentatively assigned. Three protonation constants (pK_MHL, pK_MH2L, and pK_MH3L) were determined for the lanthanide complexes, and the values found are relatively high, although lower than the protonation constants of the related ligand (pK , pK , and pK ), indicating that the coordinated phosphonate groups in these complexes are protonated. The acid‐assisted dissociation of [Ln(DOA3P)]^4? (Ln=Ce, Eu), in the region c_H+=0.05–3.00 mol dm^?3 and at different temperatures (25–60°), indicated that they have slightly the same kinetic inertness, being the [Eu(H₂O)₉]³⁺ aqua ion the final product for europium. The rates of complex formation for [Ln(DOA3P)]^4? (Ln=Ce, Eu) were studied by UV/VIS spectroscopy in the pH range 5.6–6.8. The reaction intermediate [Eu(DOA3P)]* as ‘out‐of‐cage’ complex contains four H₂O molecules, while the final product, [Eu(DOA3P)]^4?, does not contain any H₂O molecule, as proved by steady‐state/time‐resolved luminescence spectroscopy.     

Unprecedented Sensitization of Visible and Near‐Infrared Lanthanide Luminescence by Using a Tetrathiafulvalene‐Based Chromophore

Ligand L was synthesized and then coordinated to [Ln(hfac)₃] ? 2 H₂O (Ln^III=Tb, Dy, Er; hfac^?=1,1,1,5,5,5‐hexafluoroacetylacetonate anion) and [Ln(tta)₃]?2 H₂O (Ln^III=Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Er, Yb; tta^?=2‐thenoyltrifluoroacetonate) to give two families of dinuclear complexes [Ln₂(hfac)₆( L )] ? C₆H₁₄ and [Ln₂(tta)₆( L )] ? 2 CH₂Cl₂. Irradiation of the ligand at 37 040 cm^?1 and 29 410 cm^?1 leads to tetrathiafulvalene‐centered and 2,6‐di(pyrazol‐1‐yl)‐4‐pyridine‐centered fluorescence, respectively. The ligand acts as an organic chromophore for the sensitization of the infrared Er^III (6535 cm^?1) and Yb^III (10 200 cm^?1) luminescence. The energies of the singlet and triplet states of L are high enough to guarantee an efficient sensitization of the visible Eu^III luminescence (17 300–14 100 cm^?1). The Eu^III luminescence decay can be nicely fitted by a monoexponential function that allows a lifetime estimation of (0.49±0.01) ms. Finally, the magnetic and luminescence properties of [Yb₂(hfac)₆( L )] ? C₆H₁₄ were correlated, which allowed the determination of the crystal field splitting of the ²F_7/2 multiplet state with M_J=±1/2 as ground states.