Synthesis and structural diversity of rare earth anthranilate complexes

Four structural classes have been established for rare earth anthranilates, which have been prepared from the lanthanoid chloride or triflate and anthranilic acid (anthH) followed by pH adjustment to 4. [La(anth)3]n is a polymeric complex with nine coordinate lanthanum and bridging tridentate (O,O,O′) anthranilate ligands, whereas [Nd(anth)3(H2O)3] · 3H2O is monomeric with nine coordinate neodymium and solely chelating (O,O) anthranilate groups. Both chelating (O,O) and bridging bidentate (O,O′) ligands are observed in dimeric [Er2(anth)6(H2O)4] · 2H2O, in which erbium is eight coordinate and the water ligands are in a trans arrangement. A polymer is observed for [Yb(anth)3(H2O)]n with solely bridging bidentate (O,O′) ligands and seven coordination for ytterbium. The NH2 groups of the anthranilate ligands are not coordinated to the metal but is unusually involved in hydrogen-bond networks with water molecules for Ln = Er, Yb.