An oxazoline derivatized Pybox ligand for Eu(III) and Tb(III) sensitization

A new Tb(III) dimer with an oxazoline-derivatized pyridine ligand, dimethyl-2,2′-(pyridine-2,6-diyl)bis(4,5-dihydrooxazole-4-carboxylate), has been isolated. This complex is highly luminescent and crystallizes in the triclinic P-1 space group with parameters a = 9.6167(2) Å, b = 11.6786(2) Å, c = 12.7548(3) Å, α = 70.026(1)°, β = 83.219(1)°, γ = 81.973(1)° and V = 1329.31(51)ų. Solution speciation studies showed the formation of monomeric species with 1:1 and 2:1 ligand-to-metal ion stoichiometries with log β₁₁ = 3.66 ± 0.41 and log β₂₁ = 6.16 ± 0.37 for Eu(III) and log β₁₁ = 3.56 ± 0.41 and log β₂₁ = 6.21 ± 0.38 for Tb(III). The quantum yields of emission Φ and luminescence lifetimes τ of solutions with 2:1 stoichiometry were 26.4 ± 0.5% and 1.47 ± 0.06 ms for Eu(III) and 41.0 ± 1.3% and 1.87 ± 0.06 ms for Tb(III).