Synthesis and luminescent properties of novel polyimide-bound tris(2-thenoyltrifluoroacetonato) lanthanide(III) complexes

•Novel polyimide-bound tris(2-thenoyltrifluoroacetonato)lanthanide(III) complexes (CMPI-Phen–Ln(TTA)3 (Ln=Eu, Sm)) were prepared.•CMPI-Phen–Ln(TTA)3 (Ln=Eu, Sm) exhibit excellent luminescent properties.•The 5% weight loss temperatures of CMPI-Phen and CMPI-Phen–Eu(TTA)3 are above 280 °C.

Novel polyimide-bound tris(2-thenoyltrifluoroacetonato)lanthanide(III) complexes (CMPI-Phen–Ln(TTA)3) (Ln=Eu, Sm and TTA=2-thenoytrifluoroacetonato) were successfully prepared through the coordination reaction between 1,10-phenanthroline-functionalized polyimide (CMPI-Phen) and Ln(III)(TTA)3·2H2O (Ln=Eu, Sm). The products were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR), elemental analysis, inductively coupled plasma (ICP), thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA), and luminescence spectrometry. Fluorescence spectra revealed that CMPI-Phen–Ln(TTA)3 (Ln=Eu, Sm) in solid state exhibit an intense red and orange-red fluorescence of corresponding Eu(III) and Sm(III) under ultraviolet excitation, suggesting their potential application as luminescent materials. In addition, both CMPI-Phen and CMPI-Phen–Eu(TTA)3 have high thermal stability and their 5% weight loss temperatures are above 280 °C.