Abstract

Five novel lanthanide complexes with the formulas [Nd(bta)(H2O)2.4.35H2O]n(1), [Sm(bta)(H2O)2.4.5H2O]n (2), [Eu(bta)(H2O).1.48H2O]n (3), [Tb(bta)(H2O).1.31H2O]n (4), and [Yb(bta)(H2O).H2O]n (5) (H3bta = 1,3,5-benzenetriacetic acid) have been prepared by using the corresponding lanthanide salt and H3bta. The results of an X-ray crystallographic analysis revealed that all the complexes have three-dimensional channel-like structures, in which the bta3- ligands adopt different coordination modes: monodentate and mu2-eta2:eta1-bridging coordination modes in 1, 2, and 5 and mu2-eta1:eta1-bridging and mu2-eta2:eta1-bridging coordination modes in 3 and 4, respectively. Complexes 1 and 2, as well as 3 and 4, are isostructural, respectively, in which all the Ln(III) (Ln = Nd, Sm, Eu, and Tb) atoms are nine-coordinated, while the Yb(III) atoms in complex 5 are eight-coordinated. Both complexes 3 and 4 showed strong luminescence upon excitation, and their luminescence decay curves fit well with single exponential decays of which the lifetime is 0.45 ms for 3 and 1.0 ms for 4. The magnetic properties of the complexes were investigated in the temperature range of 1.8-300 K.