title: A triboluminescent europium(III) complex.
abstract: The crystal structure of (4,4'-dimethyl-2,2'-bipyridyl)tris[3,3,3-trifluoro-1-(2-thenoyl)propan-2-onato]europium(III), or more commonly (4,4'-dimethyl-2,2'-bipyridyl)tris(2-thenoyltrifluoroacetonato)europium(III), [Eu(C8H4F3O2S)3(C12H12N2)], has been determined. Crystals of the complex emit vivid red light when scratched or fractured. This triboluminescent activity seems to correlate with the non-centrosymmetric crystal structure and disorder of the thienyl rings and CF3 groups which is present here and in similar compounds. While modeling the thienyl-ring disorder, it was noted that the bond angle at the C atom replaced by S is a sensitive sign of even small rotational ring disorder. The coordination geometry of the Eu(III) ion can be described as square antiprismatic, with coordination by the six O atoms of the three chelating beta-diketonate ligands and the two N atoms of the neutral bipyridyl ligand.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721-0041, USA. zhiping@u.arizona.edu
authors.forename: Zhiping
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Jiafu
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Michael D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Carducci
authors.forename: Nasser
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Peyghambarian
authors.forename: Ghassan E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Jabbourb