Synthesis of eight isostructural 2D lanthanide coordination polymers assembled by rigid furan-2,5-dicarboxylic acid and flexible adipic acid as linkers and exploration of luminescent Eu/Tb polymers as efficient and sensitive sensors for nitroaromatic compounds

Abstract

Detection of hazardous chemicals is crucial for a healthy and safe environment as well as for the well-being of humans. A confluence of chemistry and engineering continues to improve the sensitivity and selectivity for several classes of harmful chemicals with the promise of cheap and portable sensing. Herein, following the function-oriented research strategy, eight novel lanthanide coordination polymers (Ln-CPs) have been successfully assembled with the framework composition [Ln(2,5-FDC)_0.5(Adip)(H₂O)₂] (Ln = Nd (1), Sm (2), Eu (3), Gd (4), Tb (5), Dy (6), Ho (7), Er (8), 2,5-FDC²⁻ = furan-2,5-dicarboxylate, Adip²⁻ = Adipate) under solvothermal synthesis conditions. The structural analysis indicates that all the eight CPs have the same structural features. All compounds crystallize in the orthorhombic crystal system (space group Pnma) with point symbol {3³·4⁴·5³} and consist of 2D cem topological type. The linkers 2,5-FDC²⁻ and Adip²⁻ exhibit μ₂-κ⁴,η¹:η¹:η¹:η¹ and μ₃-κ⁵,η²:η¹:η¹:η¹ coordination modes respectively. The as-synthesized polymers were characterized by powder X-ray crystallography, infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and photoluminescence studies. CP-3 and CP-5 are promising luminescent lanthanide coordination polymers (Ln-CPs) and function as efficient sensors for the detection of nitroaromatic compounds at the ppm level in mix N,N′-dimethyl formamide-aqueous medium via the luminescence quenching mechanism.