Getting excited about lanthanide complexation chemistry

Abstract

Lanthanide complexation chemistry in solution is an active research theme because of the importance of gadolinium complexes as contrast agents in magnetic resonance imaging, and of luminescent europium and terbium complexes as probes in biochemistry. The physicochemical principles and theory underpinning this work are being refined to account for recent developments such as the reappraisal of complex hydration state.