Th(IV) and Ce(IV) napthylsalophen sandwich complexes: characterization of unusual thorium fluorescence in solution and solid-state

The synthesis, characterization, and electronic spectroscopy of two ML2 sandwich complexes, where M = Ce(IV) or Th(IV) and L = napthylsalophen2− are described. The ThL2 complex, unlike the isovalent CeL2, complex possesses unusual fluorescence properties in both solution and solid-state. These observations are explained with TD-DFT.