Structure, reactivity, luminescence and magnetism of dinuclear Ln3+ complexes produced by the Ln3+-assisted hydrolysis of 3,6-bis(2-pyridyl)tetrazine

Twelve Pr3+, Sm3+, Eu3+, Gd3+, Tb3+ and Dy3+ complexes of N-(pyridin-2-ylmethylene)picolinohydrazonate (phzp(-)) were synthesized by the Ln(3+) assisted hydrolysis of 3,6-bis(2-pyridyl)-1,2,4,5-tetrazine. Crystallographic characterization of Pr3+, Sm3+ and Eu3+ hydrazonate complexes with nitrate or trifluoroacetyleacetonate co-ligands shows them to have binuclear structures with a planar Ln(2)O(2) core and the ligand to be in its mono-anionic form. Exception is the Pr3+ complex with nitrate co-ligand, which is a mononuclear species containing the neutral hydrazone. Paramagnetic 1D H-1 and 2D gCOSY and gNOESY-gEXSY H-1 NMR spectroscopies revealed the presence of different isomers exhibiting a sterically controlled fluxional behavior. In addition, phzp(-) significantly enhances the luminescence of Eu3+ and Tb3+. Magnetic measurements show antiferromagnetic coupling between the Ln(3+) ions in the dinuclear complexes. The structural characterization of the complexes in both solid state and solution show the versatility of phzp- ligand to adopt various ligating motifs. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.