Crystal structures and luminescence properties of [Eu(ODA)·(phen)·4H2O]+, [Tb(ODA)·(phen)·4H2O]+ and [Tb(ODA)3]3− (ODA: oxydiacetate, phen: 1,10-phenanthroline)

Photoluminescence (PL) and excitation spectra of Eu(III) and Tb(III) complexes with mixed ODA and phen ligands and with homoleptic ODA are reported. The complexes of [Eu(ODA)·(phen)·4H2O]+ and [Tb(ODA)·(phen)·4H2O]+ excited by UV light produce very bright red and green emissions, respectively, via the nonradiative energy-transfer from phen to the metals. For [Eu(ODA)·(phen)·4H2O]+ and [Tb(ODA)·(phen)·4H2O]+, the quantum yields of the sensitized luminescence (Q = 6.6 and Q = 75.7%, respectively) are much greater than those of the nonsensitized luminescence (Q = 2.0 and Q = 21.0%, respectively).