• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.27 no.11
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• pp.1839-1843
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• 2006

Hydrothermal reactions of $Ln(NO_3)_3{\cdot}5H_2O $ (Ln = Eu (1), Sm (2), Ho (3), Dy (4)) with 3,5-pyridinedicarboxylic acid (3,5-pdcH2) in the presence of 4,4'-bipyridine led to the formation of the 3-D Ln(III)-coordination polymers with a formula unit of $[Ln_2(3,5-pdc)_2(C_2O_4)(H_2O)_4]{\cdot}2H_2O$. These polymers contain a bridging oxalate ligand ($C_2O_4\;^2$). On the basis of GCMS study of the mother liquor remaining after the reaction, we proposed that the $C_2O_4\;^2$ formation proceeds in three steps: (1) Ln(III)-mediated decarboxylation of $3,5-pdcH_2$ to give $CO_2$, (2) the reduction of $CO_2$ to $CO_2\;^{\cdot}$ by the Ln(II) species, and (3) the reductive coupling of the two $CO_2\;^{\cdot}$ radicals to the oxalate ($C_2O_4\;^2$) ion. All polymers were structurally characterized by X-ray diffraction.