Coordination compounds of rare earth nitrates with the Schiff base derived from o-vanillin and 1-naphthylamine were prepared and characterized. On the basis of elemental anal., IR spectra, Raman spectra, UV-visible spectra, molar conductance and thermal anal., it is concluded that two Schiff bases (L) and two nitrate groups are bound to the rare earth ion. One nitrate group is in the outer coordination sphere; i.e. [LnL2(NO3)2]NO3 (Ln = La, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Tb, Dy, Ho, Tm, Yb). The lanthanide ions in the coordination compounds exhibit coordination no. eight.

Key words: BENZALDEHYDE P, MOLECULAR STRUCTURE, NITRATE, HOLMIUM COMPLEX, YTTERBIUM COMPLEX, NAPHTHALENEAMINE P, PRASEODYMIUM COMPLEX, EUROPIUM COMPLEX, LANTHANUM COMPLEX, NEODYMIUM COMPLEX