ISSN 1017-2548(Print)
ISSN 2234-8530(Online)
Volume 40, Number 1
JKCSEZ 40(1)
February 20, 1996 

The 7F0 → 5D0 excitation spectra of Eu(Ⅲ) complexed with polyfunctional monocarboxylic acid(glycolic acid, glycine and thioglycolic acid) containing a terminal O, N and S neutral donors and propionic acid were investigated using Eu(Ⅲ) luminescence spectroscopy. In the excitation spectra of Eu(Ⅲ)-propionate system, the stepwise appearance of the peaks was observed at 579.0, 579.2 and 579.5 nm with increasing in the ligand-to-metal ratio, which correspond to the formation of Eu(propionate)²⁺, Eu(propionate)₂⁺ and Eu(propionate)3 species. Three maximum peaks were also obtained for Eu(Ⅲ)-glycolate, Eu(Ⅲ)-glycinate and Eu(Ⅲ)-thioglycolate systems and were found to be quite similar to those of Eu(Ⅲ)-propionate system. The q values (number of coordinated water molecules of Eu(Ⅲ) ion) obtained from the luminescence decay constants of Eu(Ⅲ)-glycolate and Eu(Ⅲ)-thioglycolate were 7.0 and 7.1, and compare well with 7.3 for Eu(Ⅲ)-propionate: Each ligand units replace around two coordinated water molecules. These results show that the polyfunctional monocarboxylates behaves like the propionate for Eu(Ⅲ) ion coordination.