Synthesis, crystal structures, and properties of oxovanadium(IV)-lanthanide(III) heteronuclear complexes

A new series of oxovanadium(IV)-lanthanide(III) heteronuclear complexes [Yb(H2O)8]2[(VO)2(TTHA)](3)21 H2O (1), {[Ho(H2O)7(VO)2(TTHA)][(VO)2(TTHA)](0.5)} 8.5 H2O (2), {[Gd(H2O)7(VO)2(TTHA)][(VO)2(TTHA)](0.5)}8.5 H2O (3), {[Eu(H2O)7][(VO)2(TTHA)](1.5)} 10.5 H2O (4), and [Pr2(H2O)6(SO4)2][(VO)2(TTHA)] (5) (H6TTHA=triethylenetetraaminehexaacetic acid) were prepared by using the bulky flexible organic acid H(6)TTHA as structure-directing agent. X-ray crystallographic studies reveal that they contain the same [(VO)2(TTHA)]2- unit as building block, but the Ln3+ ion lies in different coordination environments. Although the lanthanide ions always exhibit similar chemical behavior, the structures of the complexes are not homologous. Compound 1 is composed of a [Yb(H2O)8]3+ ion and a [(VO)2(TTHA)]2- ion. Compounds 2 and 3 are isomorphous; both contain a trinuclear [Ln(H2O)7(VO)2(TTHA)]+ (Ln=Ho for 2 and Gd for 3) ion and a [(VO)2(TTHA)]2- ion. Compound 4 is an extended one-dimensional chain, in which each Eu3+ ion links two [(VO)2(TTHA)]2- ions. For 5, the structure is further assembled into a three-dimensional network with an interesting framework topology comprising V2Pr2 and V4Pr2 heterometallic lattices. Moreover, 4 and 5 are the first oxovanadium(IV)-lanthanide(III) coordination polymers and thus enlarge the realm of 3d-4f complexes. The IR, UV/Vis, and EPR spectra and the magnetic properties of the heterometallic complexes were studied. Notably, 2 shows unusual ferromagnetic interactions between the VO2+ and Ho3+ ions.