Near Infrared Luminescence and Supramolecular Structure of a Helical Triple-Decker Yb(III) Schiff Base Cluster

The triple-decker complex [Yb 3 L 3 (OAc) 2 Cl](H 2 O) 3 (CH 3 OH) 1.5 (CH 3 CN) 0.5 ( 1 ) is formed from the reaction of H 2 L, YbCl 3 ·6H 2 O, and Zn(OAc) 2 ·2H 2 O in 25% yield (H 2 L = N, N ‘-bis(5-bromo-3-methoxysalicylidene)phenylene-1,2-diamine). The single-crystal X-ray structure of 1 revealed the presence of two independent, chiral molecules of 1 in the asymmetric unit. Intermolecular π−π stacking and C−H···π interactions between both sets of Yb 3 L 3 units create two one-dimensional strands, A and B. Strands of A are cross-linked via Br···H−C hydrogen bonds creating a three-dimensional network that encloses the B strands. Near-infrared (NIR) lanthanide luminescence in both the solid state and the solution is observed in 1 .