Synthesis of lanthanide complexes with potential applications as luminescent markers and asymmetric catalysts in organic synthesis

Abstract

This postdoctoral project aims the synthesis and studies of photoluminescent properties of water soluble and chiral lanthanide complexes. Based on the previous results achieved in our research group, chiral lanthanides complexes will be prepared by the synthesis of novel derivatives of PYBOX and chelidamic acid ligands. The photophysical properties will be investigated for those complexes, which the energy of ligand triplet state is able to transfer energy to specific lanthanide ions. The versatility of the synthesis along with the possibility of changing the substituent on the pyridine ring and/or the oxazolinic ring increases the possibilities for application of these complexes, such as gas and temperature probes and molecules and/or ions of biological interest. This approach may also be an alternative to increase two-photon absorption section (Ã2) of complexes allowing the use of microscopy by two-photon absorption luminescence. These chiral lanthanide complexes will have their catalytic properties evaluated in enantioselective reactions. The criteria used to choose the reactions of interest will be detailed in the course of this project. The motivations for studying asymmetric transformations mediated by chiral lanthanide complex arises from the great recent interest in literature aimed to new enantioselective transformations and the absence of a scientific research group in Brazil with interest in this field in specific.