Luminescent properties of complexes based on scandium (III) $\beta$-diketonates

We performed spectroscopic investigations of four novel Sc(III) metal-organic complexes with $\beta$-diketonate ligands. It was demonstrated that bonding the ligands with an optically passive Sc(III) ion leads to sensitization of the luminescence of the complexes and affects their optical absorption spectra. Luminescence decays of the complexes exhibit non-exponential behaviour. From spatially-resolved decay measurements we evaluated the number of different sites responsible for the luminescence in the investigated complexes. Small variations of the ligand structure significantly affects the wavelength of emission maximum. This phenomenon may occur due to the difference in crystal packing of the complexes or formation of charge-transfer states.