Observation of tancoite-like chains in a one-dimensional metal–organic polymer

A hydrothermal reaction of diphenic acid, NaOH, water and the corresponding lanthanide salt at a pH of ∼5.5 gives rise to a new one-dimensional metal–organic coordination polymer, 1∝[M2(H2O)2(C14H8O4)3] (M = Nd, Dy or Y). The structure is built up from a network of distorted dodecahedral MO8 units and the diphenate anions. The M atoms are connected through an oxygen atom, giving rise to tancoite-like chains, to which the diphenate anions are grafted completing the one-dimensional structure. Magnetic studies indicate only paramagnetic behavior in the temperature range 4–300 K for M = Dy. The compounds exhibit photoluminescence at room temperature with the main emission band at 450 nm (λex = 338 nm).