Triangular Cd(II)-Sm(III) Schiff Base Complex with Dual Visible and Near-Infrared Luminescent Responses to Nitro Explosives.

Two d-4f complexes [Zn2NdL2(OAc)2]·OH (1) and [Cd3Sm3L3(OAc)6(OH)3] (2) with a designed Schiff base ligand N,N'-bis(3-methoxysalicylidene)(binaphthyl)-1,4-diamine (H2L) were synthesized. The Schiff base ligands coordinate with metal ions by μ2(η1:η2:η1:η1:η2:η1) and μ2(η1:η2:η1:η1:η2:η1) modes in the complexes, which show typical lanthanide emissions. The triangular Cd-Sm complex 2 shows both visible and NIR luminescent responses to nitrobenzene explosive 2,4,6-trinitrophenol (PA).