Crystal structure and triboluminescence of the [Tb(BTFA)2(NO3)(TPPO)2] complex

The crystal structure of the [Tb(BTFA) 2 (NO 3 )(TPPO) 2 ] complex (TPPO is triphenylphosphine oxide, BTFA is benzoyltrifluoracetone), which exhibits strong triboluminescence, has been established by X-ray crystallography. The crystals are triclinic: a = 11.668(3) Å, b = 11.700(3) Å, c = 12.512(3) Å, α = 65.161(4°), β = 79.120(4)°, γ = 61.860(4)°, space group P 1, Z = 1. The central terbium(III) atom coordinates two oxygen atoms from two triphenylphosphine oxide molecules (Tb-O, 2.264(3) and 2.273(3) Å), two oxygen atoms from the nitrate group (Tb-O, 2.460(3) and 2.476(3) Å), and four oxygen atoms from two benzoyltrifluoroacetonate groups (Tb-O, 2.329(3), 2.399(3), 2.351(3), and 2.367(3) Å). The coordination polyhedron of the Tb(III) atom is a distorted dodecahedron. The photoluminescence and triboluminescence spectra of the [Tb(BTFA) 2 (NO 3 )(TPPO) 2 ] complex are identical and caused by the f - f luminescence of Tb 3+ .