Supramolecular networks constructed from mono- and bi-nuclear lanthanide complexes with 1,2-phenylenedioxydiacetic acid

[Tb₂(1,2-pdoa)₃ · 6H₂O] · H₂O (1) and [La(1,2-pdoa)(1,2-H₂pdoa)(OH) · H₂O] · 5H₂O (2) (1,2-H₂pdoa = 1,2-phenylenedioxydiacetic acid) have been synthesized and structurally characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction. Complex 1 is a binuclear molecule in which one 1,2-pdoa ligand is a tetradentate bridge linking two Tb³⁺ ions, the other two 1,2-pdoa ligands bond Tb1³⁺ and Tb1A³⁺ via tetradentate chelating coordination. Tb³⁺ is nine-coordinate by six oxygens of 1,2-pdoa and three waters. Complex 2 is mono-nuclear with La³⁺ ten-coordinate by eight oxygens of two 1,2-pdoa, one hydroxide and one water. 1,2-Pdoa is tetradentate chelating with La³⁺ ion. The packing diagrams of 1 and 2 show supramolecular networks via H-bonds. The fluorescence spectrum of 1 shows characteristic emission of Tb³⁺ with ⁵D₄ → ⁷F_j (j = 6–3) transitions.