The Series of Rare Earth Complexes [Ln2Cl6(μ‐4,4′‐bipy)(py)6], Ln=Y,Pr, Nd,Sm‐Yb: A Molecular Model System for Luminescence Properties in MOFs Based on LnCl3 and 4,4′‐Bipyridine

A series of 12 dinuclear complexes [Ln₂Cl₆(μ‐4,4′‐bipy)(py)₆], Ln=Y, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, ( 1 – 12 , respectively) was synthesized by an anhydrous solvothermal reaction in pyridine. The complexes contain a 4,4′‐bipyridine bridge and exhibit a coordination sphere closely related to luminescent lanthanide MOFs based on LnCl₃ and 4,4‐bipyridine. The dinuclear complexes therefore function as a molecular model system to provide a better understanding of the luminescence mechanisms in the Ln‐N‐MOFs ${hbox{}{{hfill 2atop hfill infty }}}$ [Ln₂Cl₆(4,4′‐bipy)₃] ? 2(4,4′‐bipy). Accordingly, the luminescence properties of the complexes with Ln=Y, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, ( 1 , 4 – 8 ) were determined, showing an antenna effect through a ligand–metal energy transfer. The highest efficiency of luminescence is observed for the terbium‐based compound 7 displaying a high quantum yield (QY of 86 %). Excitation with UV light reveals typical emission colors of lanthanide‐dependent intra 4f–4f‐transition emissions in the visible range (Tb^III: green, Eu^III: red, Sm^III: salmon red, Dy^III: yellow). For the Gd^III‐ and Y^III‐containing compounds 6 and 1 , blue emission based on triplet phosphorescence is observed. Furthermore, ligand‐to‐metal charge‐transfer (LMCT) states, based on the interaction of Cl^? with Eu^III, were observed for the Eu^III compound 5 including energy‐transfer processes to the Eu^III ion. Altogether, the model complexes give further insights into the luminescence of the related MOFs, for example, rationalization of Ln‐independent quantum yields in the related MOFs.