This study presents a general method which can be used for the synthesis of mononuclear complexes with europium(III) and organic ligands with carboxylic groups. It describes the procedure for preparing a new mononuclear coordination complex with europium(III) and carboxylate ligands sourced from benzoic acid. The construction of mononuclear complexes with a coordination sphere saturated in carboxylic ligands must go through the preparation and purification of a europium(III) intermediate complex that presents a coordination sphere with anions that will be later exchanged for carboxylic groups and finally precipitated as a solvent-free or anion-free complex within the coordination sphere. The detailed synthesis procedure for powders of a new complex, as well as studies of its structural composition at each phase and luminescent properties, are detailed in this study. Analytical and spectroscopic data reveal the formation of a new mononuclear complex of the general formula [Eu(OOCC6H5)3·(HOOCC6H5)2]. The crystal structure of the Eu(III) complex was solved using X-ray powder diffraction data and EXPO2014 software, and the crystal structure result was deposited in the CCDC service with number 19771999.

The catalytic efficiency of double metal cyanide (DMC) has been shown to be very effective in heterogeneous catalysis. The catalytic activity of the outer divalent cations (Mn, Co, Ni, and Cu) of a family of hexacyanocobaltates was examined in the oxidation reaction of styrene, as a model molecule, using tert Butyl Hydroperoxide (TBHP, Luperox®) as an oxidizing agent. The most electronegative outer cations showed the best conversions, with 95% for copper, followed by nickel with 85% conversion of the monomer at atmospheric pressure and temperature of 75 °C. The evidence showed that the catalytic activity and selectivity towards oxidized products are strongly linked to the accurate choice of the outer cation in the DMC together with the oxidizing agent.