Mono- and polymetallic lanthanide-containing functional assemblies: a field between tradition and novelty

The variable and versatile co-ordination behaviour of lanthanide metal ions, LnIII, limits their selective introduction into organised molecular or supramolecular architectures. The design of lanthanide-based devices is thus a special challenge since their specific electronic, magnetic or spectroscopic properties result from a precise control of the co-ordination sphere around the metal ions. The lock-and-key principle associated with the preorganisation of rigid macropolycylic multidentate ligands tailored for one particular LnIII only partially fulfils these structural requirements. The development of less constrained macrocyclic ligands or macrocycles bearing pendant arms allows a smooth transition toward flexible (predisposed) receptors leading to the application of the induced fit principle in lanthanide co-ordination chemistry. According to this concept, programmed secondary non-covalent interstrand interactions (π-stacking, hydrogen bonds, electrostatic repulsion) assist the complexation process leading to an ultra-fine tuning of the metallic co-ordination sites. These two complementary approaches are discussed and evaluated for the design of organised mono-, di- and polymetallic lanthanide complexes together with the consideration of new semi-rigid multidentate podands which combine both aspects.