Novel luminescent calixarene-based lanthanide materials: From synthesis and characterization to the selective detection of Fe3+

Abstract Calix[n]arene-based coordination networks are an emerging class of materials with intriguing properties resulted from the presence of the cavity-like structure of the macrocycle and metallic nodes. In this work, four novel luminescent materials based on calix[4]arene-carboxylate and lanthanides (Eu3+ and Tb3+) were prepared by two synthetic approaches, solvothermal (CDA-Eu-ST) and slow diffusion (CDA-Eu-RT, CDA-Tb-RT, CTA-Tb-complex) methods. The coordination networks were characterized by PXRD, FTIR, SEM and solid-state photoluminescence, and the results indicated the formation of two different CDA-Eu-structures governed by the synthesis parameters. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction of CTA-Tb-complex revealed the formation of a new dinuclear complex of calix[4]arene-tetracarboxylate containing Na+ and Tb3+ coordinated within the lower rim of the molecule. Preliminary studies showed that CDA-Eu-RT was capable of selectively sensing Fe3+ ions in water via quenching the luminescence, demonstrating the possibility of using calix[4]arene-based platforms as efficient luminescent sensors.