Characterization and synthesis of Tb3+ homoleptic complexes utilizing bidentate ligands

Publication Date

2026

Presentation Length

15 minutes

College

College of Sciences & Mathematics

Department

Chemistry and Physics, Department of

Student Level

Undergraduate

Faculty Mentor

Dr. Justin Stace

Presentation Type

Article

Summary

Lanthanide ions have attracted attention for a wide array of applications, notably chemical sensors. Terbium(III)-centered complexes show promise as potential fluorescence-based chemical sensing agents. Tb(phen)2(NO3)3 (phen = 1,10-phenothroline) exhibits striking visible emission when excited by short-wave ultraviolet light; this emission is completely quenched by exposure to water or strong acid. However, the luminescence returns under relatively benign conditions. Elucidation of the mechanism of this reversible quenching led to the synthesis of an array of terbium(III)-centered homoleptic complexes: Tb(phen)2(NO3)3, [Tb(CH3OH)2(H2O)(NO3)3](dmphen)3 (dmphen = 2,9-dimethyl-1,10-phenthroline), Tb(bpy)2(NO3)3 (bpy = 2,2’-bipyridne), and [Tb(pydm)3](NO3)3 (pydm = 2,6-pyridine dimethanol).  While X-ray diffraction analysis has yielded structures for Tb(phen)2(NO3)3, [Tb(CH3OH)2(H2O)(NO3)3](dmphen)3, and [Tb(pydm)3](NO3)3—providing a wealth of information regarding the metal-ligand bonding—crystals of the “bpy” analog prove elusive. Recently, the slow evaporation of a methanol solution has provided crystals.  Interestingly, both colorless and pink crystals were recovered from the initial evaporation. Recrystallization of the manually separated by color, yielded increasingly puzzling results. Strikingly, the two crystal colors are otherwise analytically indistinguishable.

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