Aqueous speciation studies of europium(III) phosphotungstate

The incorporation of lanthanide ions into polyoxometalates may be a unique approach to generate new luminescent, magnetic, and catalytic functional materials. To realize these new applications of lanthanide polyoxometalates, it is imperative to understand the solution speciation chemistry and its impact on solid-state materials. In this study we find that the aqueous speciation of europium(III) and the trivacant polyoxometalate, PW9O349-, is a function of pH, countercation, and stoichiometry. For example, at low pH, the lacunary (PW11O39)(7-) predominates and the 1:1 Eu(PW11O39)(4-), 2, forms. As the pH is increased, the 1:2 complex, Eu(PW11O39)(2)(11-) species, 3, and (NH4)(22){(EU2PW10O38)(4)(W3O8(H2O)(2)(OH)(4)}(.)44H(2)O, a Eu-8 hydroxo/oxo cluster, 1, form. Countercations modulate this effect; large countercations, such as K+ and Cs+, promote the formation of species 3 and 1. Addition of AI(III) as a counterion results in low pH and formation of {Eu(H2O)(3)(alpha-2-P2W17O61)}(2), 4, with AI(III) counterions bound to terminal W-O bonds. The four species observed in these speciation studies have been isolated, crystallized, and characterized by X-ray crystallography, solution multinuclear NMR spectroscopy, and other appropriate techniques. These species are 1, (NH4)(22){(EU2PW10O38)(4)(W3O8(H2O)(2)(OH)(4)}(.)44H(2)O (P1; a = 20.2000(0), b = 22.6951(6), c = 25.3200(7) Angstrom; alpha = 65.6760(10), beta= 88.5240(10), gamma = 86.0369(10)degrees; V = 10550.0(5) Angstrom(3); Z = 2), 2, Al(H3O){Eu(H2O)(2)PW11O34}(.)20H(2)O (P (1) over bar, a = 11.4280(23), b = 11.5930(23), c = 19.754(4) Angstrom; alpha = 103.66(3), beta = 95.29(3), gamma = 102.31(3)degrees; V = 2456.4(9) Angstrom(3); Z = 2), 3, Cs11Eu(PW11O34)(2)(.)28H(2)O (P (1) over bar; a = 12.8663(14), b 19.8235(22), c = 21.7060(23) Angstrom; alpha = 114.57(0), beta = 91.86(0), gamma = 102.91(0)degrees; V = 4858.3(9) Angstrom(3); Z = 2), 4, Al-2(H3O)(8){Eu(H2O)3(alpha-2-P2W17O61)}(2)(.)29H(2)O (P (1) over bar; a = 12.649(6), b = 16.230(8), c = 21.518(9) Angstrom; alpha = 111.223(16), beta = 94.182(18), gamma = 107.581(17)degrees; V = 3842(3) Angstrom(3); Z = 1).