Luminescence of CeI3 in organic solvents and its application in water detection

摘要

Molecular Ce(III) complexes are newly developed luminophores that have potential applications in a number of fields. However, there have been very limited studies regarding the application of solvoluminescent Ce(III) complexes. In this paper, we report the luminescence of CeI3 in different organic solvents. Violet or blue emissions were observed for CeI3 dissolved in THF, CH3CN and Et2O under ultraviolet irradiation. The luminescent properties are correlated with the structures of solvated complexes as exemplified in the Cel(3)(THF)(4) case. The solvoluminescence is strongly affected by the presence of water which converts solvated Ce(III) into cerium hydrates. The concentration of water lowered to 0.1 vol% was tested in THF, CH3CN and Et2O, indicating the potential application of commercial CeI3 as a convenient luminescent sensor for the detection of trace water in organic solvents. (C) 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.