Highly luminescent lanthanide complex as bifunctional sensor for Et2O and Fe2+

Recently, intensively-investigated multi-functional sensors and luminescent lanthanide detectors have become two fields of intense investigation. Functional combination of these two fields is becoming cutting edge research area. Herein, three new dinuclear lanthanide complexes [Ln(2)(IMBA)(6)(dmp)(2)] (IMBA = 4-iodo-3-methylbenzoic acid; dmp = 4,7-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline; Ln = Eu3+, 1a; Ln = Gd3+, 1b; Ln = Tb3+, 1c) are obtained. These complexes are fully characterized by multiple techniques such as single-crystal X-ray diffraction (SCXRD), powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), elemental analysis (EA) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). Luminescence properties of 1a and 1c, including luminescence spectra, decay lifetimes and quantum yields are discussed in detail. It is noteworthy that 1a shows ultrahigh luminescence quantum yield (QY) of 73%. Besides, it is a highly selective bifunctional sensor for diethyl ether (Et2O) and Fe2+, and the Fe2+ can be discriminated easily by the naked eye with limit of detection (LOD) of 1.0x10(-6) M. Further in-depth research evidences that the sensing of Fe2+ would not be disturbed by Fe3+ or other species.