Synthesis and characterization of dinuclear lanthanide(III) and yttrium(III) cryptates of a hexavalent anionic polydentate ligand

Reaction of tris(2-aminomethyl)amine with bis(hydroxybenzaldehyde) (1) in presence of M(CF3SO3)3 (M=Y, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm) in methanol yielded the dinuclear lanthanide(III) and yttrium(III) cryptates [M2L] (2). The structure of [Y2L] was established by X-ray crystallography. Each yttrium ion is in a seven-coordinate environment composed of three imine nitrogen atoms, one apical nitrogen atom, and three oxygen atoms. The dinuclear complexes were found to be a host for Rb+ and Cs+.