Dinuclear and polynuclear lanthanide coordination complexes containing polyazine ligands: Synthesis and luminescent properties

The role of homodinuclear and heterodinuclear lanthanide complexes as building blocks for polymeric materials is a significant field of study in recent years. Accessing the desired luminescent properties of lanthanides in the most efficient and practical way is an important part of designing such complex structures. This review describes the background of the photophysical properties of a select number of lanthanide ions. The synthesis and photophysical properties of dinuclear lanthanides have been split into two sections: (i) heterdinuclear d-f complexes and (ii) homodinuclear lanthanides bridged by polyazine ligands. A section on polymeric lanthanide arrays is also included highlighting d-f polymeric structures and a section on homodinuclear polymeric arrays formed from polyazine bridging ligands. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.