Developments in the Coordination Chemistry of Europium(II)

Recent advances in the coordination chemistry of Eu2+ are reviewed. Common synthetic routes for generating discrete Eu2+-containing complexes reported since 2000 are summarized, followed by a description of the reactivity of these complexes and their applications in reduction chemistry, polymerization, luminescence, and as contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging. Rapid development of the coordination chemistry of Eu2+ has led to an upsurge in the utilization of Eu2+-containing complexes in synthetic chemistry, materials science, and medicine.