Research

Developing Novel 2,6-pyridinedicarboxamide-1,2,3-triazole Ligands for Luminescent Lanthanide Materials

Project Summary

The CuAAC (Copper-catalyzed Azide-Alkyne Cycloaddition) reaction, known for its high specificity and efficiency in forming 1,2,3-triazoles under mild conditions, was utilized to synthesize novel PDC (2,6-pyridyldicarboxamide)-derived ligands. This robust 'click' reaction facilitated the precise construction of ligand systems necessary for complexation with lanthanides like europium and terbium..

In this project, I developed novel 1,2,3-triazole-containing PDC-derived ligands for the preparation of luminescent complexes with europium and terbium. Six ligand systems were successfully synthesized using the CuAAC reaction, including four symmetrical (L1-L4) and two asymmetrical (L5, L6) systems. All ligands were characterized through UV-Vis, FTIR, and NMR spectroscopy (¹H NMR and ¹³C NMR). Luminescent complexes were synthesized using L1, L2, L4, and L5 ligands, with photophysical studies performed in acetonitrile solution. The characteristic emission bands of europium and terbium confirmed successful lanthanide coordination. These findings pave the way for larger, more complex ligands incorporating amino acids/peptides, potentially facilitating stronger self-assembly in water and demosntrating potential for biological imaging and sensing applications.