Structural, luminescence and biological studies of trivalent lanthanide complexes with N,N′-bis(2-hydroxynaphthylmethylidene)-1,3-propanediamine Schiff base ligand

New eight lanthanide metal complexes were prepared. These complexes were characterized by elemental analysis, molar conductivity measurements, spectral analysis (1H NMR, FT-IR, UV–vis), luminescence and thermal gravimetric analysis. All Ln(III) complexes were 1:1 electrolytes as established by their molar conductivities. The microanalysis and spectroscopic analysis revealed eight-coordinated environments around lanthanide ions with two nitrate ligands behaving in a bidentate manner. The other four positions were found to be occupied with tetradentate LIII ligand. Tb–LIII and Sm–LIII complexes exhibited characteristic luminescence emissions of the central metal ions and this was attributed to efficient energy transfer from the ligand to the metal center. The LIII and Ln–LIII complexes showed antibacterial activity against a number of pathogenic bacteria.