In this work, we
study the behavior of 1-(4-chlorophenyl)-4,4,4-trifluoro-1,3-butanedione
(ClTFBA) using a spectrophotometric technique under various conditions.
Acid–base characteristics have been studied in citrate-phosphate
buffer and hydrochloric acid solutions. Dissociation constants were
determined in the pH range 3.0–8.0 for three ionic strengths
(I = 0.1, 0.5, and 1.0 M; NaCl). Protonation equilibria
have been investigated in concentrated HCl by the nonlinear Cox–Yeats
method. The interaction between ClTFBA and rare-earth metals was examined
in glycine and acetate buffers. Stability constants of monocomplexes
were obtained for trivalent metalsSc, Y, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm,
Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, and Lu. The received formation constants
lie from 4.5 to 11.8 logarithmic units. Analysis of the results shows
that the thermodynamic stability of complexes increased from Ce(III)
to Lu(III) and has a linear correlation with the ionic potential.
The relationship described in this work demonstrates the electrostatic
nature of the M(III)–ClTFBA bonds. Pronounced ionic character,
observed for complexes with Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, and Gd, points to
high charge carrier mobility for these compounds and iterates the
appropriateness to use the studied complexes to generate new organic
light-emitting diode materials. Equilibrium and spectral characteristics
were reproduced by density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent
DFT calculations performed using different basis sets and exchange–correlation
functionals.