Sparkle/AM1 modeling of holmium (III) complexes

The sparkle/AM1 model, recently defined for Eu(III), Gd(III) and Tb(III), is now extended to Ho(III). A set of 15 complexes with various representative ligands was chosen by cluster analysis from the set formed by the 27 Ho(III) complexes structures of high crystallographic quality (R factor < 0.05 Å) available in the Cambridge Structural Database and which possess oxygen or nitrogen as coordinating atoms. In the validation procedure, we included the remaining 12 Ho(III) complexes. For these 27 complexes, the Sparkle/AM1 unsigned mean error for all interatomic distances between the Ho(III) ion and the ligand atoms of the first sphere of coordination is 0.05 Å. Sparkle/AM1 constitutes the only semiempirical model for the quantum chemical calculation of Ho(III) coordination compounds available, with geometry prediction accuracies comparable to present day rare earth complex ab initio/ECP calculations, while being hundreds of times faster.     

Modeling lanthanide complexes: sparkle/AM1 parameters for ytterbium (III)

The Sparkle/AM1 model is extended to ytterbium (III) complexes. Thus, a set of 15 complexes, with various representative ligands, chosen to be representative of all complexes of high crystallographic quality (R-factor <0.05 A) in the Cambridge Crystallographic Database, and which possess oxygen and/or nitrogen as coordinating atoms, was used as the training set. In the validation procedure we added 32 more high quality crystallographic structures. For the 47 complexes, the Sparkle/AM1 unsigned mean error for all interatomic distances between the Yb(III) ion and the ligand atoms of the first sphere of coordination is 0.07 A, similar to present-day ab initio/ECP geometry prediction accuracies, and potentially useful for luminescent complex design while being hundreds of times faster.     

Modeling lanthanide coordination compounds: Sparkle/AM1 parameters for praseodymium (III)

The Sparkle/AM1 model, recently defined for Eu(III), Gd(III) and Tb(III) [R.O. Freire, G.B. Rocha, A.M., Simas, Inorg. Chem. 44 (2005) 3299] is now extended to Pr(III), using the same parameterization scheme. Thus, a set of 15 complexes, with various representative ligands of high crystallographic quality (R-factor < 0.05 Å) and which possess oxygen and/or nitrogen as coordinating atoms, was used as the training set. In the validation procedure we used a set of 33 more structures, also of high crystallographic quality. For the 48 complexes, the Sparkle/AM1 unsigned mean error, for all interatomic distances between the Pr(III) ion and the ligand atoms of the first sphere of coordination, is 0.08 Å, again comparable to present day ab initio/ECP calculations, while being hundreds of times faster.     

AM1 Sparkle modeling of Er(III) and Ce(III) coordination compounds

The recently defined Sparkle/AM1 model is now extended to Er(III) and Ce(III), using the same parameterization scheme. Thus, a set of fifteen complexes for each lanthanide ion, with various representative ligands of high crystallographic quality (R factor < 0.05 Å), and which possess oxygen and/or nitrogen as coordinating atoms, was used as the training set. In the validation procedure we used a set of twenty-two more complex structures for the Ce(III) ion and twenty-four more for the Er(III) ion, all of high crystallographic quality. For the thirty-seven cerium(III) complexes and thirty-nine erbium(III) complexes considered, the Sparkle/AM1 unsigned mean error, for all interatomic distances between the Ln(III) ion and the ligand atoms of the first sphere of coordination, is 0.08 and 0.06 Å, a level of accuracy comparable to present day ab initio/ECP geometries, while being hundreds of times faster. The Sparkle/AM1 model may thus prove useful for luminescent complex design.     

Sparkle model for AM1 calculation of neodymium(III) coordination compounds

The Sparkle/AM1 model, the only available semiempirical quantum chemical model for the calculation of complexes of lanthanide ions, recently defined for Eu(III), Gd(III) and Tb(III), is now extended to Nd(III). Accordingly, all 57 Nd(III) complexes of high crystallographic quality (R-factor < 0.05 Å), possessing oxygen or nitrogen as directly coordinating atoms, present in the Cambridge Structural Database 2003, were considered. A subset of 15 structures was chosen by cluster analysis to constitute the parameterization training set. All 57 complexes were considered back in the validation part, and the Sparkle/AM1 unsigned mean error, for all interatomic distances between the Nd(III) ion and the ligand atoms of the first sphere of coordination, was found to be 0.07 Å, a level of accuracy useful for luminescent complex design and comparable to present day rare earth complex ab initio/ECP calculations, while being hundreds of times faster.     

Sparkle model for the calculation of lanthanide complexes: AM1 parameters for Eu(III), Gd(III), and Tb(III)

Our previously defined Sparkle model (Inorg. Chem. 2004, 43, 2346) has been reparameterized for Eu(III) as well as newly parameterized for Gd(III) and Tb(III). The parameterizations have been carried out in a much more extensive manner, aimed at producing a new, more accurate model called Sparkle/AM1, mainly for the vast majority of all Eu(III), Gd(III), and Tb(III) complexes, which possess oxygen or nitrogen as coordinating atoms. All such complexes, which comprise 80% of all geometries present in the Cambridge Structural Database for each of the three ions, were classified into seven groups. These were regarded as a "basis" of chemical ambiance around a lanthanide, which could span the various types of ligand environments the lanthanide ion could be subjected to in any arbitrary complex where the lanthanide ion is coordinated to nitrogen or oxygen atoms. From these seven groups, 15 complexes were selected, which were defined as the parameterization set and then were used with a numerical multidimensional nonlinear optimization to find the best parameter set for reproducing chemical properties. The new parameterizations yielded an unsigned mean error for all interatomic distances between the Eu(III) ion and the ligand atoms of the first sphere of coordination (for the 96 complexes considered in the present paper) of 0.09 A, an improvement over the value of 0.28 A for the previous model and the value of 0.68 A for the first model (Chem. Phys. Lett. 1994, 227, 349). Similar accuracies have been achieved for Gd(III) (0.07 A, 70 complexes) and Tb(III) (0.07 A, 42 complexes). Qualitative improvements have been obtained as well; nitrates now coordinate correctly as bidentate ligands. The results, therefore, indicate that Eu(III), Gd(III), and Tb(III) Sparkle/AM1 calculations possess geometry prediction accuracies for lanthanide complexes with oxygen or nitrogen atoms in the coordination polyhedron that are competitive with present day ab initio/effective core potential calculations, while being hundreds of times faster.     

Sparkle/AM1 structure modeling of lanthanum (III) and lutetium (III) complexes

The sparkle/AM1 model for the quantum chemical prediction of coordination polyhedron crystallographic geometries from isolated lanthanide complex ion calculations, defined recently for Eu(III), Gd(III), and Tb(III) (Inorg. Chem. 2005, 44, 3299) is now extended to La(III) and Lu(III). Thus, for each of the metal ions we chose a training set of 15 complexes that possess various representative ligands of high crystallographic quality (R factor < 0.05 Angstroms) and oxygen and/or nitrogen as coordinating atoms. In the validation procedure we used a set of 60 more La(III) coordination compound structures, as well as 15 more Lu(III) coordination compound structures, all of high crystallographic quality. For both the 75 La(III) compounds and the 30 Lu(III) compounds, the Sparkle/AM1 unsigned mean error, for all interatomic distances between the metal ions and the ligand atoms of the first sphere of coordination, is 0.08 Angstroms, thus comparable to the accuracy normally achievable by present day ab initio/ECP calculations, while being hundreds of times faster.     

Semiempirical and DFT computations of the influence of Tb(III) dopant on unit cell dimensions of cerium(III) fluoride

Several computational methods, both semiempirical and ab initio, were used to study the influence of the amount of dopant on crystal cell dimensions of CeF₃ doped with Tb³⁺ ions (CeF₃:Tb³⁺). AM1, RM1, PM3, PM6, and PM7 semiempirical parameterization models were used, while the Sparkle model was used to represent the lanthanide cations in all cases. Ab initio calculations were performed by means of GGA+U/PBE projector augmented wave density functional theory. The computational results agree well with the experimental data. According to both computation and experiment, the crystal cell parameters undergo a linear decrease with increasing amount of the dopant. The computations performed using Sparkle/PM3 and DFT methods resulted in the best agreement with the experiment with the average deviation of about 1% in both cases. Typical Sparkle/PM3 computation on a 2×2×2 supercell of CeF3:Tb3+ lasted about two orders of magnitude shorter than the DFT computation concerning a unit cell of this material. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Tuning of the excitation wavelength from UV to visible region in Eu(3+)-β-diketonate complexes: comparison of theoretical and experimental photophysical properties

A novel class of efficient visible light sensitized antenna complexes of Eu(3+) based on the use of a series of highly conjugated β-diketonates, namely, 1-(1-phenyl)-3-(2-fluoryl) propanedione, 1-(2-naphthyl)-3-(2-fluoryl)propanedione, 1-(4-biphenyl)-3-(2-fluoryl) propanedione, and 2,2'-bis(di-p-tolylphosphino)-1,1'-binaphthyl oxide as an ancillary ligand has been designed, synthesized, characterized and their photophysical properties investigated. The coordination geometries of the typical Eu(3+) complexes were calculated using the Sparkle/PM3 model. Photophysical properties of europium complexes benefit from adequate protection of the metal by the rigid phosphine oxide ligand against non-radiative deactivation and efficient ligand-to-metal energy transfer exceeding 50% as compared to precursor samples. The replacement of the phenyl group with the naphthyl or biphenyl groups in the 3-position of the fluoryl based β-diketonate ligand remarkably extends the excitation window of the corresponding Eu(3+) complexes towards the visible region (up to 500 nm). The highly conjugated β-diketonate ligands sensitize efficiently the luminescence of Eu(3+) ions with quantum yields ranging from 19 to 43 % in the solid state, which is among the highest reported for a visible sensitized Eu(3+)complex. The theoretical quantum efficiencies from the Sparkle/PM3 structures are in good agreement with the experimental values, clearly attesting to the efficacy of the theoretical models.     

Gas-phase synthesis of lanthanide(III) benzoates Ln(Bz)<Subscript>3</Subscript> (Ln = La,Tb, Lu)

A new method for the synthesis and film deposition of nonvolatile aromatic lanthanide(III) carboxylates by ligand exchange reaction between the starting volatile components in the gas phase was proposed. The complexes Ln(Bz)₃ (Ln = La³⁺, Tb³⁺, Lu³⁺, HBz = benzoic acid) were synthesized by gas-phase ligand exchange reaction between the volatile Ln(Thd)₃ and HBz (HThd = 2,2,6,6-tetramethylheptane-3,5-dione). The composition of the complexes was confirmed by elemental, thermal, IR-spectroscopic, and photoluminescence analyses and, in the case of lanthanum and lutetium complexes, by ¹H NMR.     

Thermal investigations of dehydration of lanthanide(iii) 5-nitroanthranilates

The 5-nitro-2-anthranilates of lanthanum(III), samarium(III), terbium(III), erbium(III) and lutetium(III) were obtained as hydrates having 2.5 mol of water molecules per 1 mol of compound. The compounds are isostructural. The processes of dehydration and rehydration were investigated. The first step of dehydration does not cause the change of crystal structure. The entire dehydration gives anhydrous compounds with different structure than the structure of hydrates. However, the dehydration of La, Sm, Tb and Er is reversible - the rehydration process gives the complexes having the same crystal structure as the initial compounds. Only the anhydrous lutetium complex under the influence of moisture does not give the starting compound. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Ionic liquid synergistic cation-exchange system for the selective extraction of lanthanum(III) using 2-thenoyltrifluoroacetone and 18-crown-6.

A novel synergistic extraction system was investigated for the possible selective separation of light lanthanoids using an ionic liquid, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide, as an extraction solvent and 2-thenoyltrifluoroacetone and 18-crown-6 as extractants. Trivalent lanthanum was efficiently extracted as a cationic ternary complex by the cation-exchange process, whereas europium and lutetium showed relatively low extractability without forming respective ternary complexes. This result is thought to originate in a size-fitting effect of 18-crown-6 to lanthanum and the unique nature of the ionic liquid as a chelate extraction solvent.     

3-Phenyl-4-benzoyl-5-isoxazolonate complex of Eu3+ with tri-n-octylphosphine oxide as a promising light-conversion molecular device

Three new europium complexes, [Eu(PBI)3.3H2O] (1), [Eu(PBI)3.2TOPO] (2), and [Eu(PBI)3.2TPPO.H2O] (3) (where HPBI, TOPO, and TPPO stand for 3-phenyl-4-benzoyl-5-isoxazolone, tri-n-octylphosphine oxide, and triphenylphosphine oxide, respectively), with different neutral ligands were synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, Fourier transform infrared, (1)H NMR, thermogravimetric analysis, and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. The coordination geometries of the complexes were calculated using the Sparkle/AM1 (Sparkle Model for the Calculation of Lanthanide Complexes within the Austin Model 1) model. The ligand-Eu3+ energy-transfer rates were calculated in terms of a model of the intramolecular energy-transfer process in lanthanide coordination compounds reported in the literature. The room-temperature PL spectra of the europium(III) complexes are composed of the typical Eu3+ red emission, assigned to transitions between the first excited state (5D0) and the multiplet (7F(0-4)). On the basis of emission spectra and lifetimes of the 5D0-emitting level, the emission quantum efficiency (eta) was determined. The results clearly show that the substitution of water molecules by TOPO leads to greatly enhanced quantum efficiency (i.e., 26% vs 92%) and longer 5D0 lifetimes (250 vs 1160 micros). This can be ascribed to a more efficient ligand-to-metal energy transfer and a less nonradiative 5D0 relaxation process. Judd-Ofelt intensity parameters (Omega2 and Omega4) were determined from the emission spectra for the Eu3+ ion based on the 5D0 --> 7F2 and 5D0 --> 7F4 electronic transitions, respectively, and the 5D0 --> 7F1 magnetic-dipole-allowed transition was taken as the reference. A point to be noted in these results is the relatively high value of the Omega2 intensity parameter for all of the complexes. This may be interpreted as being a consequence of the hypersensitive behavior of the 5D0 --> 7F2 transition. The dynamic coupling mechanism is, therefore, dominant, indicating that the Eu3+ ion is in a highly polarizable chemical environment.     

Synthesis, spectral characterization, biological and fluorescence studies of lanthanum(III) complexes with 3-substituted-4-amino-5-hydrazino-1,2,4-triazole Schiff bases

Some lanthanum(III) complexes have been synthesized by reacting lanthanum(III) nitrate with Schiff bases derived from 3-substituted-4-amino-5-hydrazino-1,2,4-triazole and substituted salicylaldehydes. All these complexes are soluble in DMF and DMSO and the low molar conductance values observed indicates that they are non-electrolytes. Elemental analyses suggest the complexes have 1:1 stoichiometry of the type La · L · NO₃ · H₂O, and they were characterized further by spectral and thermogravimetric methods. Fluorescence spectra of one of the representative Schiff bases (II) and its lanthanum(III) complex were investigated in various solvents; the complexes were evaluated for their biological activity.     

Prediction of geometries and interaction energies of complexes formed by small molecules using semiempirical and ab initio methods

The accuracy of the semiempirical quantum mechanics methods (AM1 and PM3), and the ab initio methods (6-31G^** and MP2/6-31G^**) in predicting intermolecular geometries and interaction energies have been evaluated by detailed studies of 17 bimolecular complexes formed by small molecules. Comparisons between calculated and experimental geometries for 12 complexes are presented. It was found that AM1 gave reasonably good predictions of the geometries of complexes such as CH₄ · CH₄, which have very weak interactions, but it is not as good as other methods in predicting intermolecular geometry for complexes where hydrogen bonding interactions play an important role. This is consistent with its inability to reproduce the charge transfer in the formation of hydrogen bonds in these complexes.

PM3 is able to predict intermolecular geometries for most complexes, including those with hydrogen bonding; its major flaw is its tendency to overestimate the strength of the interactions between hydrogen atoms. Care should be taken therefore in using PM3 to study complicated molecular systems with multiple hydrogen atom interactions and the method's weakness in handling complexes in which electrostatic forces are important should also be noted.

Among ab initio methods, both the 6-31G^** and the MP2/6-31G^** were found to outperform AM1 and PM3 in prediction of intermolecular geometry. Both of these ab initio methods showed excellent consistency in geometry prediction for most of the complexes studied, although MP2/6-31G^** is better than 6-31G^**. It is noted that the MP2/6-31G^** did not produce the correct geometry for the CO₂· HF complex.

For 12 complexes for which experimental geometry data are available, AM1, PM3, 6-31G^**, and MP2/6-31G^** successfully predicted the geometry in 10, 12, 12, and 11 cases, respectively. The average errors given by AM1 in the predicted intermolecular distances were 0.264, 0.272, 0.091, and 0.061 Å, respectively. In comparison to the ab initio methods, AM1 and PM3 commonly underestimated the molecular interaction energy in such complexes by ˜ 1–2 kcal mol⁻¹.     

Magnetic susceptibility tensor anisotropies for a lanthanide ion series in a fixed protein matrix.

The full series of lanthanide ions (except the radioactive promethium and the S-state gadolinium) has been incorporated into the C-terminal calcium binding site of the dicalcium protein calbindin D(9k). A fairly constant coordination environment is maintained throughout the series. At variance with several lanthanide complexes with small chelating ligands investigated in the past, the large protein moiety provides a large number of NMR signals whose hyperfine shifts can be exclusively ascribed to pseudocontact shifts (PCS). The chemical shifts of 1H and 15N backbone and side chain amide NH groups were accurately measured through HSQC experiments. 1097 PCS were estimated from these by subtracting the diamagnetic contributions measured on HSQC spectra of either the 4f(0) lanthanum(III) or the 4f(14) lutetium(III) derivatives and used to define a quality factor for the structure. The differences in diamagnetic chemical shifts between the two diamagnetic blanks were relatively small, although some were not negligible especially for the nuclei closest to the metal center. These differences were used as a tolerance for the PCS. The magnetic susceptibility tensor anisotropies for each paramagnetic lanthanide ion were obtained as the result of the solution structure determination performed by using the NOEs of the cerium(III) derivative and the PCS of all lanthanides simultaneously. This set of reliable magnetic data permits an experimental assessment of Bleaney's theory relative to the magnetic properties for an extended series of lanthanide complexes in solution. All of the obtained tensors show some rhombicity, as could be expected from the lack of symmetry of the protein environment. The directions of the largest magnetic susceptibility component for Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Tb, Dy, and Ho and of the smallest magnetic susceptibility component for Eu, Er, Tm, and Yb were found to be all within 15 degrees from their average (within 20 degrees for Sm), confirming the essential similarity of the coordination environment for all lanthanides. Bleaney's theory is in excellent qualitative agreement with the observed pattern of axial anisotropies. Its quantitative agreement is substantially better than that suggested by previous analyses performed on more limited sets of PCS data for small lanthanide complexes, the so-called crystal field parameter varying only within +/-30% from one lanthanide to another. These variations are even smaller (+/-15%) if a reasonable T(-3) correction is taken into consideration. A knowledge of magnetic susceptibility anisotropy properties of lanthanides is essential in determining the self-orienting properties of lanthanide complexes in solution when immersed in magnetic fields.     

Theoretical and experimental studies of the photoluminescent properties of the coordination polymer [Eu(DPA)(HDPA)(H2O)2].4H2O

We report on the hydrothermal synthesis of the [Eu(DPA)(HDPA)(H(2)O)(2)].4H(2)O lanthanide-organic framework (where H2DPA stands for pyridine-2,6-dicarboxylic acid), its full structural characterization including single-crystal X-ray diffraction and vibrational spectroscopy studies, plus detailed investigations on the experimental and predicted (using the Sparkle/PM3 model) photophysical luminescent properties. We demonstrate that the Sparkle/PM3 model arises as a valid and efficient alternative to the simulation and prediction of the photoluminescent properties of lanthanide-organic frameworks when compared with methods traditionally used. Crystallographic investigations showed that the material is composed of neutral one-dimensional coordination polymers infinity(1)[Eu(DPA)(HDPA)(H(2)O)(2)] which are interconnected via a series of hydrogen bonding interactions involving the water molecules (both coordinated and located in the interstitial spaces of the structure). In particular, connections between bilayer arrangements of infinity(1)[Eu(DPA)(HDPA)(H(2)O)(2)] are assured by a centrosymmetric hexameric water cluster. The presence of this large number of O-H oscillators intensifies the vibronic coupling with water molecules and, as a consequence, increases the number of nonradiative decay pathways controlling the relaxation process, ultimately considerably reducing the quantum efficiency (eta = 12.7%). The intensity parameters (Omega(2), Omega(4), and Omega(6)) were first calculated by using both the X-ray and the Sparkle/PM3 structures and were then used to calculate the rates of energy transfer (W(ET)) and back-transfer (W(BT)). Intensity parameters were used to predict the radiative decay rate. The calculated quantum yield obtained from the X-ray and Sparkle/PM3 structures (both of about 12.5%) are in good agreement with the experimental value (12.0 +/- 5%). These results clearly attest for the efficacy of the theoretical models employed in all calculations and create open new interesting possibilities for the design in silico of novel and highly efficient lanthanide-organic frameworks.     

Effect of cationic surfactants on the complexation of lutetium(III) with 2,2′,3,4-tetrahydroxy-3′-sulfo-5′-nitroazobenzene

The effect of cationic surfactants (CSs: cetylpyridinium chloride (CPCl), cetylpyridinium bromide (CPBr), and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTABr)) on the complexation of lutetium(III) with 2,2′,3,4-tetrahydroxy-3′-sulfo-5′-nitroazobenzene (H₄L) is studied. Homo-and mixed-ligand compounds form at pH 4. It is found that, as the stability of the associates increases (H₄L-CPCl > H₄L-CPBr > H₄L-CTABr), the detection limit of lutetium(III) in the complexation reaction with H₄L-CS decreases in the order Lu-H₄L-CPCl > Lu-H₄L-CPBr > Lu-H₄L-CTABr and the stability constants of their complexes grow. The component ratio in the homo-and mixed-ligand complexes are found to be 1:1 and 1:1:1, respectively. The range of obedience to Beer’s law is determined. A procedure for determining lutetium(III) in model mixtures is developed.     

Spectroscopic study of a UV-photostable organic-inorganic hybrids incorporating an Eu3+ beta-diketonate complex.

New europium and gadolinium tris-beta-diketonate complexes have been prepared and incorporated in sol-gel-derived organic-inorganic hybrids, named di-ureasils. The general formula [Ln(btfa)3(4,4'-bpy)(EtOH)] (Ln=Eu, Gd; 4,4'-bpy=4,4'-bipyridine; btfa=4,4,4-trifluoro-1-phenyl-1,3-butanedione) for the complexes was confirmed by X-ray crystallography and elemental analysis. The ground-state geometry of the Eu3+ complex was calculated from the Sparkle/AM1 model. The calculated quantum yield obtained from the Sparkle model and from the crystal structure (both 46%) are in satisfactory agreement with the experimental value (38+/-4%). In the isolated complex the most efficient luminescence channel is S0-->S1-->T-->(5D1, 5D0)-->7F0-6, where the exchange mechanism dominates in the energy-transfer channel T-->(5D1, 5D0). For the Eu3+-based di-ureasils a 50% quantum yield enhancement compared to the Eu3+ complex is observed, which suggests an effective hybrid host-metal ion interaction and an active energy-transfer channel between the hybrid host and the Eu3+ complex. The Eu3+-based di-ureasils are photostable under UVA (360 nm) excitation, whereas under UVB (320 nm) and UVC (290 nm) photodegradation occurs.