New rare-earth metal acyl pyrazolonates: Synthesis, crystals structures, and luminescence properties

Ligand 3-methyl-1-phenyl-4-stearoylpyrazol-5-one (HQ) is synthesized and used to obtain new complexes of rare-earth metals (Eu, Gd, and Tb) of the composition [Ln(Q)3(H2O)(EtOH)]. The crystal structure of the terbium complex is determined by X-ray diffraction analysis (CIF file CCDC 975286). In a molecule of the complex, three aliphatic fragments n-C17H35 are codirected, which results in the formation of layers bound according to the fastener-sticker principle. The molecules of the complex are joined by a hydrogen bond network involving the pyrazolone rings and oxygen atoms of the inner-sphere solvent molecules (H2O and EtOH). The terbium complex is luminescent at room temperature, whereas the luminescence of the europium complex is very weak at room temperature and increases by 60 times at lowered temperatures. This makes it possible to consider these compounds as a new class of “luminescent thermometers.”