A direct carbon-13 and nitrogen-15 NMR study of europium(III) complexation-nitrate and europium(III)-isothiocyanate complexation in aqueous solvent mixtures

A direct, low-temperature nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopic study of europium(III)-nitrate contact ion-pairing has been completed, and preliminary results for europium(III)-isothiocyanate have been obtained. In water-acetone-Freon mixtures, at –110°C to –120°C, four¹⁵N NMR signals are observed for coordinated nitrate ion. Area evaluations of the signals and their concentration dependence indicate the formation of Eu(NO₃)²⁺, Eu(NO₃)₂¹⁺, and two higher complexes, possibly the tetra-, with either the penta-or hexanitrato. This correlates well with similar¹⁵N NMR results obtained for Ce(III), Pr(III), Nd(III), and Sm(III). As a result of a higher dielectric constant, complex formation is significantly less in water-methanol mixtures, wheein only three complexes form with Eu(NO₃)₂¹⁺ dominating at the highest anion concentrations. Competitive complexing experiments in water-methanol also were made by³⁵Cl NMR chemical shift and linewidth measurements, as well as¹⁵N NMR. Initial experiments with the Eu³⁺-NCS^– system show four coordinated anion signals, displaced from the bulk anion peak by about –250 ppm and –2,500 ppm in the¹³C and¹⁵N NMR spectra, respectively. Area evaluations are consistent with the presence of Eu(NCS)²⁺ through Eu(NCS)₄^1- in these solutions. A consideration of the chemical shifts identified the nitrogen atom as the site of binding in the NCS^–. A discussion of these preliminary results, as well as those for several other metal-ions, will be presented.