O-Phenylenedioxydiacetate complexes of Gd(III) and Ce(III): syntheses, crystal structures, and magnetic properties

{[Ln2(PDOA)3(H2O)6]2H 2O}n (Ln = Gd, 1; Ln = Ce, 2; H2PDOA = o-phenylenedioxydiacetic acid) has been synthesized and characterized by chemical analyses, IR spectroscopy, and thermal analyses. Single-crystal X-ray structure analyses revealed that both 1 and 2 are polymeric and built up of a ladder-like arrangement of Ln(III) ions linked by short syn-anti carboxylate bridges and long bridges (legs of the ladder) formed by a second crystallographically independent PDOA. Ln(III) in both 1 and 2 is nine-coordinate with an O9 donor set formed by one chelating/bridging and one bridging PDOA, and an additional three waters. In the asymmetric unit, there is one crystallographically independent water of crystallization, which is involved in a rich system of hydrogen bonds of the O-H···O type. The identities of the bulk and single crystal phases were corroborated by powder X-ray diffraction. Variable temperature (2-300 K) magnetic studies indicate the presence of only weak antiferromagnetic interactions between pairs of paramagnetic Ln(III) ions with J/hc = -0.004 and -0.13 cm-1, for 1 and 2. © 2014 © 2014 Taylor & Francis.This work was supported by the Slovak grants VEGA [grant number 1/0075/13], [grant number 1/0233/12], APVV-0132–11 and APVV-0014-11. Funding from the Ministry of Science and Innovation (Spain) under grants MAT2011–27233-C02–1 (with cofinancing from European Union Regional Development Funds) and CONSOLIDER 25200 and from the Diputación General de Aragón is gratefully acknowledged. This publication is the result of the Project KVARK – quality education and skills development for doctoral and postdoctoral students of P.J. Šafárik University in Košice, ITMS: 26110230084, supported by the Research & Development Operational Program funded by the ESF.Peer Reviewe