Americium(iii) and europium(iii) complex formation with lactate at elevated temperatures studied by spectroscopy and quantum chemical calculations.

Thermodynamic parameters for the complex formation of Am(iii) and Eu(iii) with lactate were determined with UV-vis and time-resolved laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy (TRLFS) in a temperature range between 25 and 70 °C. The reaction enthalpy decreased with increasing ionic strength. ATR FT-IR and NMR spectroscopy in combination with density functional theory (DFT) calculations revealed structural details of the Eu(iii) lactate 1 : 1 complex: a chelating coordination mode of the lactate with a monodentate binding carboxylate group and the hydroxyl group being deprotonated.