The Photophysical Properties of Quaternary Lanthanide (Eu³⁺, Tb³⁺, Sm³⁺, Dy³⁺) Functional Molecular Complexes

Summary.

In this paper, according to the molecular fragment principle, a series of twelve quaternary luminescent lanthanide complex molecular systems were assembled. Both elemental analysis and infrared spectroscopy allowed to determine the complexes formula: Ln(Nic)₃(L)·H₂O, where Ln=Sm, Eu, Tb, Dy; HNic=pyridine-3-carboxylic acid; L=N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF), N,N-dimethylacetamide (DMA), pyrrolidone (pyro). The photophysical properties of these functional molecular systems were studied by recording both ultraviolet-visible absorption, phosphorescence, fluorescence excitation, and emission spectra. It was found that the conjugated pyridine-3-carboxylic acid acts as the main energy donor and luminescence sensitizer due to the suitable energy match and effective energy transfer to the luminescent Ln ³⁺ ions. Amide molecules (DMF, DMA, pyro) were only used as assistant structural ligands to enhance the luminescence. Especially the europium complexes show the strongest luminescence due to the optimum energy transfer between the HNic triplet state energy level and Eu³⁺.