A thermochromic europium(iii) room temperature ionic liquid with thermally activated anion-cation interactions.

We report the first example of an observable and reversible case of thermochromism due to the interaction of an alkylphosphonium (P6,6,6,14)+ with a β-diketonate (1,1,1,2,2,3,3-heptafluoro-7,7-dimethyloctane-4,6-dionate-fod) of an europium(iii) tetrakis-β-diketonate room temperature ionic liquid. This thermochromism is characterized by the conversion of a light yellow viscous liquid, at room temperature, to a reddish substance close to 80 °C. The reversibility of this optical effect was highlighted by the thermal stability of the Eu(iii) complex.