The comparative X-ray absorption spectroscopy study of gadolinium and samar
ium bisporphyrinate complexes represented by the formulas (GdH)-H-III(oep)(
tpp), Gd-III(oep)(2), (GdH)-H-III(tpp)(2) and (SmH)-H-III(oep)(tpp), Sm-III
(oep)(2), (SmH)-H-III(tpp)(2) is reported. The XAFS spectra are recorded on
the LURE-DCI storage ring (Orsay, France) in transmission mode on the micr
ocrystalline samples at the Gd and Sin L-3 edges. The local environment for
Ln(3+) ions has been reconstructed applying one-shell and two-shell XAFS a
nalysis procedures. The protonated and nonprotonated bisporphyrinate comple
xes present different XAFS features. After our analysis on the title deriva
tives, the gadolinium ion (at 80 K) is found to be bonded: (i) to eight nit
rogen atoms at R(Gd-N) 2.50 Angstrom, for (GdH)-H-III(oep)(2) [Debye-Waller
(DW) factor 0.004 Angstrom (2)]; (ii) to Seven nitrogen atoms at R(Gd-N) 2
.49 Angstrom, for (GdH)-H-III(oep)(tpp) [DW factor 0.005 Angstrom (2)] and
one nitrogen at long distance; and (iii) to six nitrogen atoms at R(Gd-N) 2
.50 Angstrom [DW factor 0.006 Angstrom (2)] and two nitrogen atoms at Iona
distance for (GdH)-H-III(tpp)(2). A similar coordination sphere has been de
tected for the corresponding Sm derivatives. So, the samarium ion (at room
temperature) is bonded: (i) to eight nitrogen atoms at R(Sm-N) 2.53 Angstro
m, for Sm-III(oep)(2) [DW factor 0.006 Angstrom (2)]; (ii) to seven nitroge
n atoms at R(Sm-N) 2.53 Angstrom, for (SmH)-H-III(oep)(tpp) [DW factor 0.00
6 Angstrom (2)] and one nitrogen at long distance; and (iii) to six nitroge
n atoms at R(Sm-N) 2.50 Angstrom, for (SmH)-H-III(tpp)(2) [DW factor 0.006
Angstrom (2)] and two nitrogen atoms at long distance. As far as concerns L
n(III)(oep)(2) complexes, the increase of Ln-N distance in the series Gd3< Eu3+ < Sm3+ reflects an increase in the ionic radii, which are in good ag
reement with previously published XRD data on Eu-III(oep)(2). Moreover, the
protonated, Ln(III)H(oep)(tpp) and Ln(III)H(tpp)(2) complexes possess syst
ematically shorter distances of about 0.02 Angstrom between the XAFS and XR
D data. This difference is attributed to the asymmetry of the distribution
concerning Ln-N distances.