Sentitized near-infrared emission in novel neodymium complexes bearing oligothiophene derivatives as antennae

A series of neodymium complexes based on (alpha-oligothiophen-2-yl)(2-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)methanone moiety was prepared and studied by FTIR, NMR, optical spectroscopies. As a function of the thiophene ring number in the ligand, a variation of both stoichiometry and optical properties of the complex are observed. The solid-state ligand structure indicates a close packing and a stressed situation in enolate residues, i.e. non-coplanarity between thiophene and phenyl moieties. An un-precedent stoichiometry of complexes was observed, namely two metal and five ligands, according to both the synthesis conditions and the encumbrance of ligand with respect to ionic radius of Nd3+. This fact is attributed to the contribution to the coordination of the methoxy group. Luminescence and lifetime determination are discussed in the light of the above factors. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.