Synthesis, Structure, Thermal Stability, and Magnetic and Luminescence Properties of Dinuclear Lanthanide(III) Pivalates with Chelating N-Donor Ligands

New dinuclear lanthanide pivalate complexes [Tb2(piv)6(Hpiv)6], [Tb2(piv)6(bpy)2], [Tb2(piv)6(phen)2], [Tb2(piv)6(bath)2]·1.5EtOH, and [Eu2(piv)6(bath)2]·2EtOH, as well as the coordination polymer {Tb(piv)3}n, in which piv = (CH3)3CCO2–, bpy = 2,2′-bipyridine, phen = 1,10-phenanthroline, bath = 4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline, and EtOH = ethanol, were synthesized and characterized by X-ray diffraction. For the terbium complexes, the magnetic properties and the solid-state thermolysis were investigated. The phase composition of the solid decomposition products was determined by X-ray powder diffraction. The photophysical properties of these complexes were analyzed by luminescence, excitation, and phosphorescence spectroscopy, and by lifetime measurements. A comparison of the photophysical data for bpy, phen, and bath complexes shows that the supramolecular organization affects the efficiency of the sensitization of Ln3+ luminescence. All the results obtained provide good prospects for the use of dinuclear lanthanide pivalate complexes as efficient light-conversion molecular devices (LCMD).