Herein, we report the synthesis, structural investigation, and magnetic and photophysical properties of a series of 13 [Zn(II)Ln(III)] heterodinuclear complexes, which have been obtained employing a Schiff-base compartmental ligand derived from o-vanillin [H(2)valpn = 1,3-propanediylbis(2-iminomethylene-6-methoxy-phenol)]. The complexes have been synthesized starting from the [Zn(valpn)(H(2)O)] mononuclear compound and the corresponding lanthanide nitrates. The crystallographic investigation indicated two structural types: the first one, [Zn(H(2)O)(valpn)Ln(III)(O(2)NO)(3)], contains 10-coordinated Ln(III) ions, while in the second one, [Zn(ONO(2))(valpn)Ln(III)(H(2)O)(O(2)NO)(2)]·2H(2)O, the rare earth ions are nine-coordinated. The Zn(II) ions always display a square-pyramidal geometry. The first structural type encompasses the larger Ln ions (4f(0)-4f(9)), while the second is found for the smaller ions (4f(8)-4f(11)). The dysprosium derivative crystallizes in both forms. Luminescence studies for the heterodinuclear compounds containing Nd(III), Sm(III), Tb(III), Dy(III), and Yb(III) revealed that the [Zn(valpn)(H(2)O)] moiety acts as an antenna. The magnetic properties for the paramagnetic [Zn(II)Ln(III)] complexes have been investigated.

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A series of niobium-modified aluminum hydroxide fluorides (denoted Nb@AlF 3 ), prepared via the fluorolytic sol gel synthesis was investigated for the catalytic one-pot conversion of cellulose to lactic acid. The structure of the new acid catalysts is the result of the dispersion of niobium fluoride in an aluminum fluoride hydroxide matrix. The calcination of the catalysts at a relatively low temperature (350°C) stabilized this structure. Catalytic performances in terms of lactic acid yields are directly correlated with the niobium content.