New tris(heterocyclic beta-diketonato)europium(III) complexes of the general formula Eu(PBI)3.L [where HPBI = 3-phenyl-4-benzoyl-5-isoxazolone and L = H2O, 2,2'-bipyridine (bpy), 4,4'-dimethoxy-2,2'-bipyridine (dmbpy), 1,10-phenanthroline (phen), or 4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline (bath)] were synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), 1H NMR, high-resolution mass spectrometry, thermogravimetric analysis, and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. Single-crystal X-ray structures have been determined for the complexes Eu(PBI)3.H2O.EtOH and Eu(PBI)3.phen. The complex Eu(PBI)3.H2O.EtOH is mononuclear, and the central Eu3+ ion is coordinated by eight oxygen atoms to form a bicapped trigonal prism coordination polyhedron. Six oxygens are from the three bidentate HPBI ligands, one is from a water molecule, and another is from an ethanol molecule. On the other hand, the crystal structure of Eu(PBI)3.phen reveals a distorted square antiprismatic geometry around the europium atom. The room-temperature PL spectra of the europium(III) complexes are composed of the typical Eu3+ red emission, assigned to transitions between the first excited state (5D0) and the multiplet (7F0-4). The results demonstrate that the substitution of solvent molecules by bidentate nitrogen ligands in Eu(PBI)3.H2O.EtOH richly enhances the quantum yield and lifetime values. To elucidate the energy transfer process of the europium complexes, the energy levels of the relevant electronic states have been estimated. Judd-Ofelt intensity parameters (Omega2 and Omega4) were determined from the emission spectra for Eu3+ ion based on the 5D0 --> 7F2 and 5D0 --> 7F4 electronic transitions, respectively, and the 5D0 --> 7F1 magnetic dipole allowed transition was taken as the reference. The high values obtained for the 4f-4f intensity parameter Omega2 for europium complexes suggest that the dynamic coupling mechanism is quite operative in these compounds.

A novel efficient antenna complex of Eu(3+) [Eu(CPFHP)(3)(DDXPO)] supported by a highly fluorinated carbazole-substituted β-diketonate ligand, namely, 1-(9H-carbazol-2-yl)-4,4,5,5,5-pentafluoro-3-hydroxypent-2-en-1-one (CPFHP) and the 4,5-bis(diphenylphosphino)-9,9-dimethylxanthene oxide (DDXPO) ancillary ligand, has been synthesized, structurally characterized, and its photoluminescent behavior examined. The single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis of Eu(CPFHP)(3)(DDXPO) revealed that this complex is mononuclear, and that the central Eu(3+) ion is surrounded by eight oxygen atoms, six of which are provided by the three bidentate β-diketonate ligands. The remaining two oxygen atoms are furnished by the chelating phosphine oxide ligand. The coordination polyhedron is best described as that of a distorted square antiprism. The photophysical properties of Eu(CPFHP)(3)(DDXPO) benefit from adequate protection of the metal by the ligands with respect to non-radiative deactivation as well as an efficient ligand-to-metal energy transfer process which exceeds 66% in chloroform solution with a quantum yield of 47%. As an integral part of this work, the synthesis, characterization, and luminescent properties of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) polymer films doped with Eu(CPFHP)(3)(DDXPO) are also reported. The luminescent efficiencies of the doped films (photoluminescence quantum yields 79-84%) are dramatically enhanced in comparison with that of the precursor complex. The new luminescent PMMA-doped Eu(CPFHP)(3)(DDXPO) complex therefore shows considerable promise for polymer light-emitting diode and active polymer optical fiber applications.