Quadruple-stranded Eu-helicate Assembled from Bis-β-diketonate: Its Stability Towards Metal Ions

Herein, we reported the synthesis and investigation of highly luminescent quadruple-stranded helicate (C₆H₁₆N)₄Eu₂(MBDA)₄]₂^.3C₄H₁₀O·4C₂H₃N(1-Eu)H₂MBDA=N-methyl-4,4'-bis(4,4,4-trifluoro-1,3-dioxobutyl)di- phenylamine] for its stability toward metal ions in the solution. The material was characterized via X-ray crystallographic technique, Fourier transform infrared(FTIR) spectroscopy and electrospray ionization quadrupole time-of- flight(ESI-TOF) mass spectrometry. The results on the luminescence quantum yields clearly demonstrate that the ligand can effectively sensitize the luminescence of the Eu³⁺ ions(Φ_overall=15%). Upon the addition of different metal ions(i. e., Ag⁺, Cd²⁺, Zn²⁺, Fe³⁺, Al³⁺ and Ni²⁺) to the CH₃CN solution of compound 1-Eu, the emission intensities of Eu³⁺ ions at 612 nm were affected to some extent, which could be attributed to the presence of ion exchanges between Eu³⁺ ions and the metals ions, and the result was confirmed by ESI-TOF mass spectrometry.