Synthesis, crystal structures and luminescent properties of terbium, neodymium and yttrium complexes with a new amide type ligand

Solid complexes of terbium, neodymium and yttrium nitrates with an amide type ligand, N-benzyl-2-(benzyloxy)benzamide (L) have been prepared in ethyl acetate and characterized by elemental analysis and IR spectroscopy. The crystal and molecular structures of the complexes TbL3(NO3)(3), NdL3(NO3)(3) and YL3(NO3)(3) have been determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction. The crystal structures of the complexes are similar. The structures show that the crystal consists of two similar but independent molecules in the asymmetric unit and the metal ion is coordinated toward nine donor atoms, three of which belong to the oxygen atoms of three monodentate ligands and six oxygen atoms from three bidentate nitrates. Furthermore, the REL3(NO)(3) complex units are linked by the intermolecular hydrogen bonds to form a three-dimensional net. At the same time, the luminescent properties of the ligand and the complex TbL3(NO3)(3) were studied as well.