Thermal behaviour of lanthanide complexes of 1,3-propanediamine- tetramethylenephosphonic acid

1,3-propanediaminotetramethylenephosphonic acid (PDTMP, H₈L) was prepared and its complexes with some lanthanide ions (La(III), Eu(III), Gd(III) and Sm(III)) were isolated. The IR spectra and thermal stabilities of PDTMP and its complexes were studied. All the complexes contain physically and coordinately bound water molecules, which are released from the solid samples below 370°C. On heating PDTMP decomposes to phosphorus oxides, while its anhydrous complexes decompose to lanthanide oxides, and cyclic and linear polyphosphates between 400 and 1000°C. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.