Interactions between metal ions and carbohydrates. Spectroscopic characterization and the topology coordination behavior of erythritol with trivalent lanthanide ions.

The coordination of carbohydrate to metal ions is important because it may be involved in many biochemical processes. The synthesis and characterization of several novel lanthanide-erythritol complexes (TbCl3·1.5C4H10O4·H2O (TbE(I)), Pr(NO3)3·C4H10O4·2H2O (PrEN), Ce(NO3)3·C4H10O4·2H2O (CeEN), Y(NO3)3·C4H10O4·C2H5OH (YEN), Gd(NO3)3·C4H10O4·C2H5OH (GdEN)) and Tb(NO3)3·C4H10O4·C2H5OH (TbEN) are reported. The structures of these complexes in the solid state have been determined by X-ray diffraction. Erythritol is used as two bidentate ligands or as three hydroxyl group donor in these complexes. FTIR spectra indicate that two kinds of structures, with water and without water involved in the coordination sphere, were observed for lanthanide nitrate-erythritol complexes. FIR and THz spectra show the formation of metal ion-erythritol complexes. Luminescence spectra of Tb-erythritol complexes have the characteristics of the Tb ion.