Lanthanide macrocyclic complexes: from molecules to materials and from materials to devices

Abstract

In the present review, we show how the chemistry of lanthanide macrocyclic complexes, which began almost 50 years ago in Russia, is still very active. Additionally to bisphthalocyanines complexes, triple-decker, but also quadruple- and quintuple-decker complexes have been synthesized via new chemical routes. The driving force for the development of this chemistry arises from the wide range of possible applications. Owing to their very high conductivity, compared to that of monophthalocyanines, LnPc2 and Ln2Pc3 complexes are used as molecular semiconductors in electronic devices. The radical nature of LnPc2 complexes makes them easily oxidized and reduced. This is the reason why they are particularly promising materials for the development of new chemical sensors, associated with both conductimetric and optical transducers.