Structural variability of rare earth carboxylates based on polydentate carboxylate ligand containing pyridine group

Four rare earth carboxylates, namely [Y(L) (DMF) (H2O)]·H2O (1), Y(L) (H2O) (2), La(L) (DMF) (3) and La(L) (H2O) (4), have been hydro/solvothermally synthesized from 2-(6-carboxypyridin-2-yl)terephthalic acid (H3L) and systematically characterized using IR, EA, single-crystal and powder X-ray diffraction, luminescence methods. The structural characterizations reveal that the crystal structures of rare earth carboxylates can be effectively altered by judicious alteration of the synthesis conditions. These complexes are very stable and display intense intraligand emissions.