Structure, magnetic and luminescence properties of the lanthanide complexes Ln2(Salphen)3·H2O (Ln = Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy; H2Salphen = N,N′-bis(salicylidene)-1,2-phenylenediamine)

• A series of lanthanide complexes with Schiff base was structurally characterized.
• The Eu-compound displays characteristic Eu3+ photoluminescence at 77 K.
• A systematic analysis of the magnetic properties of studied complexes was performed.
• The effects of coordination geometry or SOC on magnetic properties were discussed.

The series of compounds Ln2(Salphen)3(H2O) (1-Ln; Ln = Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb and Dy) was obtained. The crystal structure of 1-Nd was determined, and its isomorphism with the others was shown by powder XRD. These compounds possess dinuclear molecules with Ln–Ln distances of 3.965(30) Å (for 1-Nd). A systematic analysis of the magnetic properties of the complexes 1-Ln was performed in terms of the temperature dependences of the magnetic susceptibilities, revealing weak or, in the cases of the Eu and Dy complexes, negligible exchange interactions between the lanthanide ions. Compound 1-Eu displays characteristic Eu3+ photoluminescence at 77 K both in the solid state and in DMF/MeOH solution.

A series of Ln2(Salphen)3(H2O) compounds (1-Ln; Ln = Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb and Dy) was obtained and structurally characterized. Compound 1-Eu displays characteristic Eu3+ photoluminescence at 77 K in the solid state and in frozen DMF/MeOH solution. A systematic analysis of magnetic properties of complexes 1-Ln revealed that the effect of coordination geometry or spin–orbit coupling in most cases is actually more significant than the exchange interactions between lanthanides.Figure optionsDownload as PowerPoint slide