Structure and optical spectroscopy of Yb(III) complex with o-phenylenedioxydiacetic acid

The Na[Ln(C10H8O6)2(H2O)2]·2H2O (where Ln = Yb(III), Lu(III)) monocrystals have been obtained and the crystal structure has been solved. The Yb(III) complex forms a structure with the space group P21/c and a = 15.528(1) Å, b = 21.098(1) Å, c = 7.766(1) Å, and β = 92.58(2)°. Optical properties of this complex have been investigated using the methods of absorption (293 K, 4 K), luminescence (77 K) and IR spectroscopy. The ligand-field splitting in the relevant states can be determined from low-temperature high-resolution absorption and luminescence. The split of 2F5/2 and 2F7/2 has been determined as 540 and 592 cm−1, respectively. The f-f luminescence has not been induced by exciting into the 1π-1π∗ absorption band of the ligand but only by exciting into Yb(III) level with a very short 2F5/2 level decay time equal to 0.32 and 0.69 μs at 293 and 77 K, respectively.