4,4'-Bis(trifluoromethyl)-2,2'-bipyridine--a multipurpose ligand scaffold for lanthanoid-based luminescence/19F NMR probes.

The tetradentate ligand 4,4'-bis(trifluoromethyl)-2,2'-bipyridine-6,6'-dicarboxylic acid (H(2)1) and three corresponding anionic rare earth complexes [RE(1)2](-) (RE = Y, Tb, Dy) were synthesized. The terbium and dysprosium complexes show lanthanoid-centered luminescence in aqueous solution, as well as paramagnetically enhanced longitudinal magnetic relaxation of the (19)F nuclei.