Three lanthanide complexes with mixed salicylate and 1,10-phenanthroline: syntheses, crystal structures, and luminescent/magnetic properties

Three new lanthanide complexes incorporating salicylate (HSA or SA) and 1,10-phenanthroline (phen), Ln(3)(HSA)(5)(SA)(2)(phen)(3) [Ln=Ho (1) and Er (2)], and Sm-2(HSA)(2)(SA)(2)(phen)(3) (3), have been synthesized. X-ray structural analysis reveals that 1 and 2 are isostructural with a trinuclear pattern, and 3 exhibits a binuclear structure. Comparison of the structural differences between 1/2 and 3 suggests that the identity of metal plays an important role in construction of such complexes. The magnetic properties of 1 are discussed. Moreover, 2 and 3 are both photoluminescent materials, and their emission properties are closely related to their corresponding Ln(III) centers.