Study of the synthesis and properties of the ternary complexes of rare earths with mandelic acid and 1,10-phenanthroline

Fourteen ternary complexes of rare earths with mandelic acid (MAH) and 1,10-phenanthroline (phen) have been prepared in aqueous solution. The composition of the ternary complexes has been determined as RE(MA)(3) . phen . nH(2)O (RE = La, Ce, Pr, Nd, n = 0; RE = Sm, n 1/2; RE Eu, Gd, Dy-Lu, Y, n = 1) by elemental and chemical analyses, Their solubility in different solvents and molar conductances were measured. The structures and properties of the ternary complexes were investigated using IR, TGA, X-ray powder diffraction and UV. The bonding character of the complexes are also discussed.