Luminescence study of complexation of europium and dicarboxylic acids

Luminescence lifetime measurements of Eu(III) have been used to study the hdration of Eu(III) when complexed by alkane-dicarboxylate ligands. In its mono(malonate) complex, Eu(III) was found to have 2.3 fewer water molecules than the uncomplexed hydrated cation. In the formation of its 1:1 complexes with succinate, glutartate, and adipate, Eu(III) lost 1.5 molecules of water. When these dicarboxylate ligands reacted with the EuNTA complex to form the 1:1:1 ternary species, the malonate anion replaced 2.2, the succinate 1.5, and the glutarate and adipate 1.0 water molecules (all these values have ca. {plus minus}0.5 uncertainty). These data are discussed in terms of the effect on chelation of increased alkyl chain length. 13 refs., 4 figs., 5 tabs.