A series of bis(2-phenethyl)dithiophosphinate-based Ln(III) complexes: Synthesis, magnetic and photoluminescent properties.

• A series of bis(2-phenethyl)dithiophosphinate Ln(III) complexes was synthesized. • The photoluminescence and magnetic properties of all complexes were investigated. • The lowest triplet energy level of bis(2-phenethyl)dithiophosphinate ion was determined. • The impact of chemical composition of the complexes on the luminescent properties was studied. A series of the bis(2-phenethyl)dithiophosphinate-based lanthanide(III) complexes, namely [Ln(phen)L 3 ] (Ln = Sm (1), Eu (2)), Ln(phen)L 2 (NO 3) (Ln = Sm (3), Eu (4), Tb (5)), and Et 4 N[LnL 4 ] (Ln = Sm (6), Eu (7), Gd (8), Tb (9)), where L− = (PhCH 2 CH 2) 2 PS 2 −, and phen = 1,10-phenanthroline, has been designed and synthesized. The magnetic properties of complexes 1 – 9 have been investigated in the temperature range of 2–300 K. The μ eff (T) and 1/ χ (T) dependences of complexes show paramagnetic behavior, which is determined by the Ln3+ ions. For complexes 5 and 9 , significant anisotropy results in nonlinear field dependencies of magnetization at 2 K. Complexes 1 – 7 and 9 exhibit metal-centered luminescence in the solid state at room temperature, whereas complex 8 emits ligand-centered phosphorescence. The maximal quantum efficiency (φ f = 53% at 300 K) is observed for the complex Tb(phen)L 2 (NO 3). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]