A thermostable terbium(iii) complex with high fluorescence quantum yields

Abstract

A novel complex (C₆H₁₆N)₃[Tb₂(Hsal)₃(NO₃)₆] (1) was synthesised and characterized using X-ray crystallography. The PXRD patterns indicate that complex 1 is stable after heating at 180 °C for half an hour. More interestingly, high luminescence quantum yields of 90%, 78%, and 53% and long lifetimes of 1.71, 1.72, and 1.71 ms were obtained at room temperature, 80 °C, and 180 °C, respectively. Thus, complex 1 is one of the rare examples of luminescent lanthanide complexes with both high luminescence efficiency and thermostability.