Influence of Ligand Environment Stoichiometry on NIR-Luminescence Efficiency of Sm3+, Pr3+ and Nd3+ Ions Coordination Compounds

Six new complexes of the ligand HQcy (-4-(cyclohexanecarbonyl)-5-methyl-2-phenyl-2,4-dihydro-3H-pyrazol-3-one) and Ln3+ ions with emission in the near-infrared (Nd3+) or visible and near-infrared (Sm3+, Pr3+) spectral regions were synthesized and characterized using various methods, including single crystal X-ray diffraction. The study demonstrated that both tris complexes [LnQcy3(H2O)(EtOH)] and tetrakis-acids [H3O][LnQcy4] can be synthesized by varying the synthetic conditions. The photochemical properties of the complexes were investigated experimentally and theoretically using various molecular spectroscopy techniques and Judd–Ofelt theory. The objective was to quantitatively and qualitatively disclose the influence of complex stoichiometry on its luminescence properties. The study showed that the addition of an extra ligand molecule (in the tetrakis species) increased molar extinction by up to 2 times, affected the shape of photoluminescence spectra, especially of the Pr3+ complex, and increased the quantum yield of the Sm3+ complex by up to 2 times. The results obtained from this study provide insights into the luminescent properties of lanthanide coordination compounds, which are crucial for the design and development of novel photonic materials with tailored photophysical properties.