Two open-chain carboxylate crown ether ligands and their terbium (III) and europium (III) complexes were synthesized and characterized. The terbium and europium ions were found to coordinate to the carboxylate oxygens. The fluorescence properties of europium complexes in the solid state and terbium complexes in the solid state and in the organic solvent were studied in detail, respectively. Under the excitation of ultraviolet light, strong ...