Lanthanide Complexes with 2,3‐Dimethoxybenzoic Acid and Terpyridine: Crystal Structures,Thermal Properties,and Antibacterial Activities

The lanthanide coordination complexes Er(2,3‐DMOBA)₃(terpy)(H₂O) ( 1 ) and Nd(2,3‐DMOBA)₃(terpy)(H₂O)]₂ ( 2 ) (2,3‐DMOBA = 2,3‐dimethoxybenzoate; terpy = 2,2′:6′,2′′‐terpyridine) were synthesized and characterized by IR spectroscopy, powder X‐ray diffraction (XRD), single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction, and thermogravimetric analysis. Complex 1 crystallizes in the triclinic system, space group P1, and the mononuclear subunits form a 1D chain structure along the a axis by hydrogen bonds. Complex 2 crystallizes in the monoclinic system, space group P2₁/c, and the dinuclear subunits are further linked via the offset face‐to‐face π ··· π weak stacking interactions to form a supramolecular 2D layered structure. Thermal analysis showed that the complexes have three decomposition steps. The first step is the loss of coordination water molecules. The neutral terpy ligands and partial 2,3‐DMOBA ligands are lost in the second step. The remaining 2,3‐DMOBA ligands are lost in the third step. The 3D stacked plots for the FT‐IR spectra of the evolved gases are recorded and the gaseous products are identified by the typical IR spectra obtained at different temperatures from the 3D stacked plots. Meanwhile, the results of the antibacterial action tests show that 1 and 2 have better antibacterial activities to Candida albicans than to Escherichia coli or Staphylococcus aureus. In addition, complex 2 has better antibacterial action to Candida albicans than complex 1 .