Molecular Terpyridine-Lanthanide Complexes Modified Carbon Nitride for Enhanced Photocatalytic CO2 Reduction

Molecule/semiconductor hybrid catalysts, which combine molecular metal complexes with semiconductors, have shown outstanding performances in photocatalytic CO2 reduction. In this work, we report two hybrid catalysts for the selective photoreduction of CO2 to CO. One is composed of carbon nitride and a terpyridine-Lu complex (denoted as LutpyCN), and the other is composed of carbon nitride and a terpyridine-Ce complex (denoted as CetpyCN). Compared with pristine carbon nitride, the hybrid catalysts LutpyCN and CetpyCN display a noteworthy increase in CO generation, boosting the yield by approximately 176 times and 106 times, respectively. Mechanistic studies demonstrate that such significant enhancement in photocatalysis is primarily due to more efficient separation of photogenerated carriers for hybrid catalysts after modifying CN with molecular terpyridine-lanthanide species.

Influence of Metal Coordination on the Gas-Phase Chemistry of the Positional Isomers of Fluorobenzoate Complexes

The fragmentation behaviors of the o-, m-, and p-fluorobenzoate complexes of La³⁺, Ce³⁺, Fe³⁺, Cu²⁺, and UO₂²⁺ were investigated by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry, and the corresponding reaction mechanisms were explored by density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Fluoride transfer product La^IIIFCl₃^-/Ce^IIIFCl₃^- and decarboxylation product La^IIICl₃(C₆H₄F)^-/Ce^IIICl₃(C₆H₄F)^- were observed when the carboxylate precursors La^IIICl₃(C₆H₄FCO₂)^-/Ce^IIICl₃(C₆H₄FCO₂)^- were subjected to collision-induced dissociation. The variation in product ratios, which is not obvious in the meta and para cases, qualitatively follows the increasing overall energy barrier and reaction endothermicity of the two-step CO₂/C₆H₄ elimination mechanism, and this aligns with the increase in U-F distance in the ortho, meta, and para decarboxylation product isomers. In contrast, the mass spectra of Fe^IIICl₃(C₆H₄FCO₂)^-/Cu^IICl₂(C₆H₄FCO₂)^- are dominated by the reduction product FeCl₃^-/CuCl₂^- regardless of the fluorobenzoate isomer. DFT/B3LYP calculations show that the two-step CO₂/C₆H₄F elimination pathways are comparable in energy for all three positional isomers. It is energetically more favorable to give the reduction product than the fluoride transfer product, which is opposite to the lanthanum cases. Although the decarboxylation product was observed for all three U^VIO₂Cl₂(C₆H₄FCO₂)^- isomers, the ortho isomer behaves more similarly to La^IIICl₃(C₆H₄FCO₂)^-/Ce^IIICl₃(C₆H₄FCO₂)^- as evidenced by the formation of U^VIO₂FCl₂^-, and the appearance of U^VO₂Cl₂^- in the cases of the meta and para isomers indicates the similarity with Fe^IIICl₃(C₆H₄FCO₂)^-/Cu^IICl₂(C₆H₄FCO₂)^-. The shorter U-F distance in U^VIO₂Cl₂(o-C₆H₄F)^- causes the decrease in the fluoride transfer barrier and thus makes this process more favorable over o-C₆H₄F radical loss to give U^VO₂Cl₂^-.

S-Heptazine N-ligand based luminescent coordination materials: synthesis, structural and luminescent studies of lanthanide-cyamelurate networks

Various series of lanthanide metal-organic networks denoted Ln-Cy (Ln = La, Ce, Pr, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb), were synthesized under solvothermal conditions using potassium cyamelurate (K₃Cy) and lanthanide nitrate salts. All obtained materials were fully characterized, and their crystal structures were solved by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Four types of coordination modes were elucidated for the Ln-Cy series with different Ln³⁺ coordination geometries. Structural studies were performed to compare the various coordination compounds of the Ln-Cy series. Moreover, the cyamelurate linkers of rich π-conjugated and uncoordinated Lewis basic sites were used as an absorbing chromophore to enhance the luminescence quantum efficiency, the band emission and the luminescence lifetime of the coordinated Ln metal centers. Solid-state UV-visible measurements combined with density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) calculations were performed to further explore luminescent features of the Ln-Cy series and their origins.

Exploration of the Crystal Structure and Thermal and Spectroscopic Properties of Monoclinic Praseodymium Sulfate Pr2(SO4)3

Praseodymium sulfate was obtained by the precipitation method and the crystal structure was determined by Rietveld analysis. Pr2(SO4)3 is crystallized in the monoclinic structure, space group C2/c, with cell parameters a = 21.6052 (4), b = 6.7237 (1) and c = 6.9777 (1) Å, β = 107.9148 (7)°, Z = 4, V = 964.48 (3) Å3 (T = 150 °C). The thermal expansion of Pr2(SO4)3 is strongly anisotropic. As was obtained by XRD measurements, all cell parameters are increased on heating. However, due to a strong increase of the monoclinic angle β, there is a direction of negative thermal expansion. In the argon atmosphere, Pr2(SO4)3 is stable in the temperature range of T = 30-870 °C. The kinetics of the thermal decomposition process of praseodymium sulfate octahydrate Pr2(SO4)3·8H2O was studied as well. The vibrational properties of Pr2(SO4)3 were examined by Raman and Fourier-transform infrared absorption spectroscopy methods. The band gap structure of Pr2(SO4)3 was evaluated by ab initio calculations, and it was found that the valence band top is dominated by the p electrons of oxygen ions, while the conduction band bottom is formed by the d electrons of Pr3+ ions. The exact position of ZPL is determined via PL and PLE spectra at 77 K to be at 481 nm, and that enabled a correct assignment of luminescent bands. The maximum luminescent band in Pr2(SO4)3 belongs to the 3P0 → 3F2 transition at 640 nm.

Noncovalent Interactions at Lanthanide Complexes

Lanthanide complexes have attracted a widespread attention due to their structural diversity, as well as multifunctional and tunable properties. The development of lanthanide based functional materials has often relied on the design of the secondary coordination sphere of the corresponding lanthanide complexes. For instance, usually simple lanthanide salts (solvento complexes) do not catalyze effectively organic reactions or provide low yield of the expected product, whereas the presence of a suitable organic ligand with a noncovalent bond donor or acceptor centre (secondary coordination sphere) modifies the symmetry around the metal centre in lanthanide complexes which then successfully can act as catalysts in both homogenous and heterogenous catalysis. In this minireview, we discuss several relevant examples, based on X-ray crystal structure analyses, in which the hydrogen, halogen, chalcogen, pnictogen, tetrel and rare-earth bonds, as well as cation-π, anion-π, lone pair-π, π-π and pancake interactions, are used as a synthon in the decoration of the secondary coordination sphere of lanthanide complexes.

Preparation and characterization of two lanthanide complexes with one-dimensional chain-like structures

Two novel RE–Hg (RE = rare earth) complexes [RE(IA)3(H3O)2]2 n·2 n(HgCl4)· n(HgCl5)· nH2O·3 nH3O (RE = Y, 1; Lu, 2; IA = isonicotinic acid anion) were synthesized through hydrothermal reactions and are structurally characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The two complexes are isostructures and are characteristic of a one-dimensional chain-like structure. Both complexes are characterized by a three-dimensional supramolecular network. Photoluminescence experiments using solid-state samples show that they possess emission bands in the blue or red region. They have remarkable CIE chromaticity coordinates of (0.1172, 0.182) and (0.623, 0.3765), respectively. As a result, they are potential candidates for light-emitting materials for light-emitting diodes. They show wide optical band gaps of 3.29 eV and 2.89 eV, as revealed by the solid-state UV/Vis diffuse reflectance spectra.

Structural diversity of salts of terpyridine derivatives with europium(III) located in both, cation and anion, in comparison to molecular complexes

Three salts of the common composition [EuCl2(X-tpy)2][EuCl4(X-tpy)]·nMeCN were obtained from EuCl3·6H2O and the respective organic ligands (X-tpy = 4′-phenyl-2,2′:6′,2″-terpyridine ptpy, 4′-(pyridin-4-yl)-2,2′:6′,2″-terpyridine 4-pytpy, and 4′-(pyridin-3-yl)-2,2′:6′,2″-terpyridine 3-pytpy). These ionic complexes are examples of salts, in which both cation and anion contain Eu3+ with the same organic ligands and chlorine atoms coordinated. As side reaction, acetonitrile transforms into acetamide resulting in the crystallization of the complex [EuCl3(ptpy)(acetamide)] (4). Salts [EuCl2(ptpy)2][EuCl4(ptpy)]·2.34MeCN (1), [EuCl2(4-pytpy)2][EuCl4(4-pytpy)]·0.11MeCN (2), and [EuCl2(3-pytpy)2][EuCl4(3-pytpy)]·MeCN (3) crystallize in different structures (varying in space group and crystal packing) due to variation of the rear atom of the ligand to a coordinative site. Additionally, we show and compare structural variability through the dimeric complexes [Eu2Cl6(ptpy)2(N,N′-spacer)]·N,N′-spacer (5, 6, 7) obtained from [EuCl3(ptpy)(py)] by exchanging the end-on ligand pyridine with several bipyridines (4,4′-bipyridine bipy, 1,2-bis(4-pyridyl)ethane bpa, and 1,2-bis(2-pyridyl)ethylene bpe). In addition, photophysical (photoluminescence) and thermal properties are presented.

The crystal structure of catena-poly[(μ2-4,4′-dipyridine-κ2N,N′)-bis(3,5,6-trichloropyridine-2-oxyacetato-κO)-bis(ethanol-κO)nickel(II)], C28H26Cl6N4NiO8

C28H26Cl6N4NiO8, monoclinic, I2/a (no. 15), a = 15.7577(10) Å, b = 12.6174(7) Å, c = 16.7333(10) Å, β = 99.609(6)Å, V = 3280.3(3) Å3, Z = 4, Rgt(F) = 0.0674, wRref(F2) = 0.1665, T = 291.2(3) K.

Supramolecular assembly of lanthanide-2,3,5,6-tetrafluoroterephthalic acid coordination polymers via fluorine⋯fluorine interactions: a platform for luminescent detection of Fe3+ and nitroaromatic compounds

F⋯F interactions stabilize {[Ln(TFTA)_1.5(H₂O)₂]·H₂O}_n 2D coordination polymers which selectively detect Fe³⁺ and p-nitrophenols.

Nine isomorphous lanthanide–uranyl f–f bimetallic materials with 2-thiophenecarboxylic acid and terpyridine: structure and concomitant luminescent properties

Concomitant and semi-selective uranyl and lanthanide luminescence observed within a series of f–f bimetallic molecular materials (UO₂²⁺/Ln = Pr–Er).

Synthesis, structure, and photoluminescent behaviour of molecular lanthanide–2-thiophenecarboxylate–2,2′:6′,2′′-terpyridine materials

A lanthanide series incorporating 2-thiophenecarboxylate and terpyridine is presented. Four structure types are observed with differences in the coordination number and nuclearity of the complexes attributed to the effects of the lanthanide contraction.