A new Eu(III)/Tb(III) binuclear coordination compound with crown ethers and bridging 4,4′-dipyridyl

A new Eu(III)/Tb(III) binuclear coordination compound with red and yellow emissions in solution and solid state, respectively, has been prepared. The lanthanide (Ln) ions are coordinated to crown ethers (C) and bridged by a dipyridyl (dipy) ligand. Ln/C and Ln/C/dipy complexes were also synthesized as precursors for the bimetallic compounds. The homo- and heterobimetallic Ln(III) complexes were characterized by elemental analysis as well as infra-red, absorption (UV-visible) and emission spectroscopies. The heterobimetallic complex geometry was predicted using the Sparkle/AM1 model and suggested to a chemical environment of very low symmetry around the lanthanide ions (C₁), in agreement with the luminescence spectrum. The Eu(III) and Tb(III) complexes display intense red and green emissions, respectively, in the solid state at room temperature.