Lanthanide SMMs Based on Belt Macrocycles: Recent Advances and General Trends

Enhancement of axial magnetic anisotropy is the central objective to push forward the performance of Single-Molecule Magnet (SMM) complexes. In the case of mononuclear lanthanide complexes, the chemical environment around the paramagnetic ion must be tuned to place strongly interacting ligands along either the axial positions or the equatorial plane, depending on the oblate or prolate preference of the selected lanthanide. One classical strategy to achieve a precise chemical environment for a metal centre is using highly structured, chelating ligands. A natural approach for axial-equatorial control is the employment of macrocycles acting in a belt conformation, providing the equatorial coordination environment, and leaving room for axial ligands. In this review, we present a survey of SMMs based on the macrocycle belt motif. Literature systems are divided in three families (crown ether, Schiff-base and metallacrown) and their general properties in terms of structural stability and SMM performance are briefly discussed.     

Structure and bonding of lanthanide dinitrogen complexes,Ln(N2)1-8

Lanthanide dinitrogen complexes, Ln(N₂) _x (x = 1-8), were investigated by Density Functional Theory computations using the B3LYP exchange-correlation functional in conjunction with quasirelativistic pseudopotentials for Ln. After a recent study on the lanthanum complexes (A. Kovács, Structural Chemistry 2018 , 29, 1825), the present study aimed to probe the changes upon variously filled 4f subshells of Ln on the structures, stabilities, and bonding properties in related complexes of Nd, Ho, and Lu. The bonding properties were assessed on the basis of natural atomic charges, Ln valence orbital populations, and analysis of bonding molecular orbitals.     

Influence of the Type of a Ligand on the Intensity of Luminescence of Ln3+ Ions in Aqueous Solutions

The luminescence characteristics of hydrated Ln³⁺ ions and their complexes with some acidic ligands have been investigated. The possibility of determining the stability of the complexes of lanthanides in solutions from the intensity of luminescence bands is shown. The influence of the characteristic features of the f-electron shell of Ln³⁺ on the formation of the spectrochemical series is discussed.     

Fullerides: heterometallic superconductors with composition M<Subscript>2</Subscript>M′C<Subscript>60</Subscript> (M = K,Rb; M′ = Yb,Lu, Sc)

One- or two-step reactions of potassium and rubidium fullerides with composition M_k C₆₀ (M = K, Rb; k = 3—6) and K₆C₆₀ + m K mixtures (m = 1, 3) with anhydrous salts MCl₃ (M = La, Pr, Nd, Sm, Gd, Tb, Yb, Lu, Y, Sc) and YbI₂ in a toluene—THF medium afforded heterometallic fullerides M_3–nM_nC₆₀ (n = 1—3). Among these compounds, substituted fullerides with composition M₂MC₆₀ (M = Yb, Lu, Sc) display superconducting properties with critical temperatures of 14—20 K.Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 8, pp. 1623–1628, August, 2004.     

Thermal decomposition of rare earth element enanthates

The conditions of formation of Y, La and lanthanide (from Ce(III) to Lu) enanthates were worked out, their composition and their solubilities in water at 291 K were determined, and the conditions of their thermal decomposition were studied. They were prepared as crystalline solids with general formula Ln(C₇H₁₃O₂)₃·nH₂O, wheren=2–10. On heating, they decompose in two or three steps. They first lose some water molecules and then decompose to the oxides directly (salts of Y and heavy lanthanides) or via the intermediate formation of Ln₂O₂CO₃ (salts of La, Pr, Nd, Sm and Eu). Only yttrium enanthate dihydrate loses 2 water molecules on heating to form an anhydrous complex, which decomposes directly to Y₂O₃. The temperatures of dehydration are similar for all complexes (323–343 K), while the temperatures of oxide formation vary irregularly from 823 K for CeO₂ to 1078 K for La₂O₃.     

Some Properties and Thermal Decomposition of Yttrium and Lanthanide Benzohydroxamates

The conditions of formation and some properties of yttrium and lanthanide benzohydroxamates were studied. Simultaneous TG-DTG-DTA studies under non-isothermal conditions were carried out in air atmosphere in the temperature range 20-1000°C. The IR spectra and X-ray patterns of some thermal decomposition products were recorded. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Resolution of seven-coordinate complexes

The crystal structures of [Pr(dbm)3H2O] (1), [Sm(dbm)3H2O] (2), and [Er(dbm)3H2O] (3) have been determined (dbm=dibenzoylmethane). They display seven-coordinate propeller-shaped molecules, which are chiral and crystallize as conglomerates in space group R3. Analysis of the crystal structures reveals supramolecular interactions, including formation of a quadruple helix, which explain how stereochemical information can be transferred between stacks of molecules. A method to quantify the ee in bulk samples of stereochemically labile compounds by using solid-state CD spectroscopy is described. Using this method, it has been shown that compounds 1-3 undergo total spontaneous resolution directly after synthesis, forming a microcrystalline reaction product that is essentially enantiopure. The resolution of bulk quantities of seven-coordinate complexes (without chiral or polydentate ligands) is thus reported for the first time. Because the crystallization starts without seeding, the overall preparation may be regarded as absolute asymmetric synthesis.     

Dialing in color with rare earth metals: facile photoluminescent production of true white light

Combining polymeric architectures with metal ions produces hybrid materials with extremely rich properties. We are studying polymers containing terpyridine in the side chain. In this report, the chelation of lanthanide ions, Eu³⁺, Tb³⁺, and Dy³⁺ resulted in metal functionalized copolymers that exhibited excellent emission of red, green, and blue light respectively. The polymer architecture easily allows incorporation of all three colors into the material, which leads to the facile production of true white light in solution or the solid state. Quantum efficiencies for the polymer systems were determined. The white light system had an efficiency of 5%. Various combinations of colors were achieved from the basic RBG colors by simply varying the metal ion ratios in the polymer backbone. This easy tuning of the color makes these systems attractive. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.