Facile preparation of neutral monoporphyrinate lanthanide complexes with strong near-infrared emission

Ytterbium (III) acetylacetonate reacts with 5,10,15,20-tetraphenylporphyrin (H2TPP) and 5,10,15,20-tetra(4-bromophenyl)porphyrin (H2TBrPP) in 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene and forms unexpected acetate-bridged dimer and propionate-coordinated monomer of monoporphyrinate ytterbium (III) complexes, respectively, whereas interaction of ytterbium (III) acetate with H2TPP gives stable acetate-coordinated monomer with two labile methanol binding directly to metal center. This compound reacts readily with 1,10-phenanthroline derivatives to give eight-coordinate monoporphyrinate ytterbium (III) complexes with strong near infrared emission efficiency.