Four new Ln(III) complexes (Ln = Eu, Tb) with furan-2,5-dicarboxylic acid (H(2)FDA) as a ligand have been synthesized and characterized in the solid state. Luminescence studies indicate that the compounds exhibit line-like luminescence characteristic of the lanthanide centre upon excitation in the ligand absorption bands. Single crystal X-ray diffraction study of {[Eu(FDA)(H2O)(5)]center dot 1/2(FDA)center dot 3H(2)O}(n) shows the formation of an inorganic polymer with infinite Eu-FDA chains. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.