Syntheses and fluorescent properties of complexes of Eu(III) with HTTA, TPPO and benzoic acid

A series of Eu(III) complexes of α-thenoyltrifluoroacetone(HTTA) with trioctylphosphine oxide(TPPO) and benzoic acid(BA) or its two derivatives, p-toluic acid(PTA) and p-methoxybenzoic acid(POA) were synthesized and were characterized with elemental analysis, IR spectroscopy, scanning electronic microscopy and fluorescent spectra. The complexes were revealed to be Eu(BA)(TTA)2TPPO2, Eu(PTA)(TTA)2TPPO2 and Eu(POA)(TTA)2TPPO2. The excitation and absorption spectra of the complex Eu(POA)(TTA)2TPPO2 in MeOH solution were investigated in detail. The experimental result showed that relatively cheap materials with sharp red luminescence could be prepared, when benzoic acid or its two derivatives were added in Eu(III) complexes of α-thenoyltrifluoroacetone with trioctylphosphine oxide. The relative fluorescence intensity of the Eu(III) complexes decreased in the following order: Eu(POA)(TTA)2TPPO2> Eu(PTA)(TTA)2TPPO2>Eu(BA)(TTA)2TPPO2.