Luminescence properties and water coordination of Eu3+ in the binary solvent mixture water/1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride

The effect of relative water content on the luminescence properties and speciation of Eu3+ ions in solutions of EuCl3 in the binary solvent mixture water/BMI]Cl is presented, where BMI]Cl is the ionic liquid (IL) 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride. Using luminescence techniques, the binding properties of water to Eu3+ are determined for samples with mole ratios of water-to-IL ranging from 0 to 5. Very little water binds to Eu3+ at mole ratios of water-to-IL less than 1, above which binding increases rapidly with increasing water concentration. It is shown that only certain hydration numbers for Eu3+ complexes are stable in the water/IL solutions. The data presented suggest that the Eu3+ species present are EuClx]3-x, EuCly(H2O)3-4]3-y, EuClz(H2O)6]3-z, and Eu(H2O)8-9]3+ (where x > y > z). Comparison of the positions of the 5D0<--7F0 transitions of the Eu3+ complexes in IL solution with those of model crystal systems provides insight into the extent of Cl- complexation. This study suggests that BMI]Cl is a promising medium for luminescent lanthanide (Ln) compounds due to the low-energy phonon environment of the LnClx]3-x complex and to the fact that moderate water contamination does not result in direct binding of water to Ln3+, which would result in luminescence quenching.