A phosphorus-based compartmental ligand, (S)P[N(Me)N=CH-C6H3-2-O-3-OMe]3 (LH3), enables the assembly of luminescent heterobimetallic linear {L2Zn2Ln}+ [Ln = Gd, Tb, Nd and Eu] complexes.

A phosphorus-based compartmental ligand, (S)P[N(Me)N=CH-C6H3-2-O-3-OMe]3 (LH3), enables the assembly of luminescent heterobimetallic linear {L2Zn2Ln}+ [Ln = Gd, Tb, Nd and Eu] complexes.