Spectroscopic Study into Lanthanide Speciation in Deep Eutectic Solvents

Deep eutectic solvents are a new class of green solvents that are being explored as an alternative for used nuclear fuel and critical material recycling. However, there is a paucity of knowledge regarding metal behavior in them. This paper explores the underlying chemistry of rare-earth elements in choline chloride-based deep eutectic solvents by using a multi-technique spectroscopic methodology. Results show that speciation is highly dependent on the choice of the hydrogen-bond donor. Collected EXAFS data showed Ln3+ coordination with ethylene glycol and urea in their respective solvents and coordination with chloride in the lactic acid system. Generalized coordination environments were determined to be [LnL4-5], [LnL7-10], and [LnL5-6] in the ethylene glycol, urea, and lactic acid systems, respectively. Collected UV/vis spectra for Nd3+ and Er3+ showed variations with changing solvents, showing that Ln-Cl interactions do not dominate in these systems. Luminescence studies were consistent, showing varying emission spectra with varying solvent systems. The shortest luminescent lifetimes were observed in the choline chloride-ethylene glycol deep eutectic solvent, suggesting coordination through O-H groups. Combining all collected data allowed Eu3+ coordination geometries to be assigned.

Structural diversity of salts of terpyridine derivatives with europium(III) located in both, cation and anion, in comparison to molecular complexes

Three salts of the common composition [EuCl2(X-tpy)2][EuCl4(X-tpy)]·nMeCN were obtained from EuCl3·6H2O and the respective organic ligands (X-tpy = 4′-phenyl-2,2′:6′,2″-terpyridine ptpy, 4′-(pyridin-4-yl)-2,2′:6′,2″-terpyridine 4-pytpy, and 4′-(pyridin-3-yl)-2,2′:6′,2″-terpyridine 3-pytpy). These ionic complexes are examples of salts, in which both cation and anion contain Eu3+ with the same organic ligands and chlorine atoms coordinated. As side reaction, acetonitrile transforms into acetamide resulting in the crystallization of the complex [EuCl3(ptpy)(acetamide)] (4). Salts [EuCl2(ptpy)2][EuCl4(ptpy)]·2.34MeCN (1), [EuCl2(4-pytpy)2][EuCl4(4-pytpy)]·0.11MeCN (2), and [EuCl2(3-pytpy)2][EuCl4(3-pytpy)]·MeCN (3) crystallize in different structures (varying in space group and crystal packing) due to variation of the rear atom of the ligand to a coordinative site. Additionally, we show and compare structural variability through the dimeric complexes [Eu2Cl6(ptpy)2(N,N′-spacer)]·N,N′-spacer (5, 6, 7) obtained from [EuCl3(ptpy)(py)] by exchanging the end-on ligand pyridine with several bipyridines (4,4′-bipyridine bipy, 1,2-bis(4-pyridyl)ethane bpa, and 1,2-bis(2-pyridyl)ethylene bpe). In addition, photophysical (photoluminescence) and thermal properties are presented.