Discrete inorganic molecular upconversion: a dinuclear ytterbium–polyoxometalate complex exhibits cooperative upconversion luminescence

Abstract

We present a novel molecular upconversion material based on a discrete lanthanide-polyoxometalate (Ln-POM) complex. A lacunary-type silicotungstate, [γ-SiW₁₀O₃₆]⁸⁻ (SiW), forms a dinuclear Yb-POM complex, [Yb₂(μ₂-OH)₂(γ-SiW₁₀O₃₆)₂]¹²⁻ (Yb-SiW), which exhibits upconversion luminescence via a cooperative luminescence mechanism in the visible region upon near-infrared excitation of its two Yb ions in CD₃CN.