Template synthesis, crystal structure and luminescent properties of neutral N4O3 tripodal LnIIIL complexes (LnIII = La3+, Eu3+, Gd3+, Tb3+, Dy3+, Ho3+, Er3+, Tm3+ or Lu3+; H3L = tris{[3′-(2-pyridyl)-5′-tert-butyl-2′-hydroxybenzylidene-2-imino]ethyl}amine)

In the presence of Ln(3+) (Ln = La, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm or Lu), tris(2-aminoethyl)amine condensed with three equivalents of 3-(2'-pyridyl)-5-tert-butyl-2-hydroxybenzaldehyde in methanol to give the neutral Schiff-base complex Ln(III)L (Ln = La 1, Eu 2, Gd 3, Tb 4, Dy 5, Ho 6, Er 7, Tm 8 and Lu 9; H3L = tris{[3'-(2-pyridyl)-5'-tert-butyl-2'-hydroxybenzylidene-2-imino]ethyl}amine). The structures of compounds 4-7 were determined by X-ray crystallography. The crystal structure analyses revealed that the Schiff base behaves as a tri-deprotonated heptadentate ligand encapsulating the lanthanide metal ion within the N4O3 cavity, with all the pyridyl groups being pendant. Solution spectroscopic data suggest that the Ln(III)L complexes remain intact in methanol and exist as nine-coordinate non-electrolytes with the lanthanide metal ions coordinated to the N4O3 cavity of the tripodal Schiff base and two solvent molecules. The solution photoluminescent properties of these lanthanide Schiff-base complexes were also examined. (C) Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2004.