Generating a warm glow: Lanthanide complexes which luminesce in the near-IR

This article reviews and expands upon our observations of neodymium and ytt erbium-centered luminescence in the near-IR. A variety of neodymium (III) a nd ytterbium (III) complexes with aminocarboxylate ligands was synthesized and their photophysical properties were investigated in aqueous solutions. Metal-centered emission was observed in the near-IR for complexes of both i ons and time-resolved studies were used to show how quenching of the excite d states is dependent on both inner and outer sphere coordinated water mole cules.