Structural characterization and luminescence studies of new lanthanide(III) complexes with nicotinic and isonicotinic acid N-oxides

Four new polymeric lanthanide(III) complexes of nicotinic acid N-oxide and isonicotinic acid N-oxide have been synthesized and structurally determined. In the isomorphous compounds [(Ln(L-1)(3) (H2O)(2))(n)]. 4nH(2)O(HL1 = nicotinic acid N-oxide; Ln = Eu, 1; Ln = Er, 2) the lanthanide(III) ions form infinite double chains along the b direction through the coordination of bridging carboxylate and N-oxide groups. The chains are cross-linked through hydrogen bonds between aqua ligands and uncoordinated N-oxide groups and between aqua ligands and lattice water molecules, to form a three-dimensional network. [(Eu(L-2)(2)-(H2O)(4))(n)](NO3)(n). nH(2)O (HL2 = isonicotinic acid N-oxide, 3) has a polymeric structure in which the europium (III) ions are connected into infinite chains by pairs of syn-syn carboxylate groups. Adjacent chains are interlinked by hydrogen bonds between aqua ligands and N-oxide groups to form a layer parallel to the (100) plane, and such layers are connected by hydrogen bonds between nitrate anions and aqua ligands, and between oxide groups and lattice water molecules, into a three-dimensional network. In [(Er-2(L-2)(4)(H2O)(10))](NO3)(2). H2O, 4, dinuclear units are inter-linked into a three-dimensional network through hydrogen bonding between aqua ligands and N-oxide groups of both bidentate bridging and unidentate L-2 ligands. Factors affecting the formation of coordination chains and dinuclear units are discussed. Luminescence properties of 1 and 3 have also been studied. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.