Luminescent and magnetic properties of mononuclear lanthanide thiocyanates with terpyridine as auxiliary ligand

[Display omitted] •We studied a series of mononuclear Ln thiocyanate complexes with terpy as auxiliary ligand.•The sensitization of the luminescence of Eu and Tb derivatives due to the terpy ligands was demonstrated.•Features of the Ln environment affect both the luminescence and SMM behavior of the complexes. Novel mononuclear lanthanide thiocyanates with 2,2′;6′,2″-terpyridine (terpy), namely isomorphic complexes [Ln(terpy)2(NCS)3] (Ln = Y, Eu, Tb and Dy) were prepared and studied. The effective luminescence sensitization of the Eu, Tb and Dy ions owing to the terpy ligands was observed and corresponding values of the absolute quantum yields were determined. The influence of structural features of the complexes studied on their luminescent properties was analyzed. Slow magnetic relaxation indicating SMM behavior was found for Dy complex.