Sensitization of the luminescence of europium and terbium ions by orotic acids in aqueous solutions

The stability constants of the complexes of Eu/sup 3 +/ and Tb/sup 3 +/ with the dianions of orotic acid, 2-thioorotic acid, and 3-N-methylorotic acid have been determined at 20/sup 0/C and ..mu.. = 0.15 by a pH-potentiometric method. The influence of orotic acids on the luminescence properties of Eu/sup 3 +/ and Tb/sup 3 +/ has been studied. It has been shown as a result of a study of the excited states of orotic acid and its derivatives by a method based on the sensitized luminescence of the lanthanides that it is preferable to use the Tb/sup 3 +/ ion as an energy acceptor, since quenching of the luminescence by means of a charge-transfer process is observed in the complexes formed by the Eu/sup 3 +/ ion.