Variable Dimensionality of Europium(III) and Terbium(III) Coordination Compounds with a Flexible Hexacarboxylate Ligand

A reaction between 4,4',4″-(benzene-1,3,5-triyltris(oxy))triphthalic acid (H L) and lanthanide(III) nitrates (Ln = Eu , Tb ) in water under the same conditions gave a molecular coordination compound [Tb(H L) (H O) ]∙6H O in the case of terbium(III) and a one-dimensional linear coordination polymer {[Eu (H L) (H O) ]∙8H O} in the case of europium(III). The crystal structures of both compounds were established by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, and they were further characterized by powder X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis and infrared spectroscopy. The compounds demonstrated characteristic lanthanide-centered photoluminescence. The lanthanide-dependent dimensionality of the synthesized compounds, which are the first examples of the coordination compounds of hexacarboxylic acid H L demonstrates its potential as a linker for new coordination polymers.