Terbium and holmium trans-2,3-dimethylacrylic acid complexes with 1,10-phenanthroline

Novel dinuclear complexes, [REL₃(phen)]₂ (where RE = Tb, Ho; HL = trans-2,3-dimethylacrylic acid; phen = 1,10-phenantheoline), were synthesized and determined by elemental analysis, infrared absorption spectra (IR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and X-ray diffraction. The Tb complex crystallizes in space group P2_1/n with the cell dimensions a = 12.939(2) Å, b = 13.018(2) Å, c = 15.400(3) Å and = 94.72(1)°. The Ho complex crystallizes in P⁽⁹⁾ with a = 12.406(3) Å, b = 13.280(3) Å, c = 9.823(2) Å, = 110.80(2)°, = 103.42(2)°, = 63.67(1)°. The Tb atom is nine coordinate and the separation of Tb...Tb* is 3.97 Å. The Ho atom is eight coordinate and the separation of Ho...Ho* is 4.01 Å.