Nanosized thermometric NMR sensors based on the paramagnetic complex ion pairs of lanthanides(III) for temperature determinations in low-polar nonaqueous solutions

For temperature determination in solutions it is suggested that the temperature dependence of the paramagnetic lanthanide-induced shifts (LIS) in the NMR spectra on the ligand nuclei be used for Ln(PTA)₂(18-crown-6)]⁺Ln(PTA)₄]^? complex ion pairs formed in CCl₄, CDCl₃, CD₂Cl₂, CD₃C₆D₅, and C₂D₃N type low-polar solvents (Ln = La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Eu; PTA is the pivalyltrifluoroacetonato anion). It was found experimentally that the Ln(PTA)₂(18-crown-6)]⁺ complex cation molecules (Ln = Ce and Pr) proved most suitable for use as nanosized (≈1.1 nm) probes for temperature determinations in nonaqueous solutions. A linear dependence of the LIS on the ¹H nuclei of different groups and the difference between the LIS corresponding to the CH₂ groups of the 18-crown-6 molecules and the CH groups of the PTA anions on the reciprocal temperature (1/T) was found. The LIS of the individual signals of different groups in Ln paramagnetic complexes (relative to the signals of the diamagnetic analogs, e.g., La or Lu) may be used for temperature control in the sample, although the temperature measurement error is smaller (≤ 0.04 K) when the difference between the LIS of the CH₂ and CH groups is used. Due to the high thermodynamic and kinetic stability combined with small sizes of Ln(PTA)₂(18-crown-6)]⁺Ln(PTA)₄]^? molecules in nonaqueous solutions, these compounds may be used as thermometric NMR sensors directly in reaction media for in situ control over temperature.