The reaction of hydrated lanthanide hexafluoroacetylacetonates, [Ln(hfa)(3)(H2O)(2)], with 1,4-disubstituted benzenes afforded a new series of one-dimensional coordination polymers [Ln(hfa)(3)(Q)](infinity), where Ln = Eu, Gd, Tb, and Lu and Q = 1,4-diacetylbenzene (acbz), 1,4-diacetoxybenzene (acetbz), or 1,4-dimethyltherephtalate (dmtph). X-ray single crystal analyses reveal [Ln(hfa)(3)(acbz)](infinity) (Ln = Eu, Gd, Tb) consisting of zigzag polymeric chains with Ln Ln Ln angles equal to 128 degrees, while the arrays are more linear in [Eu(hfa)(3)(acetbz)infinity and [Eu(hfa)(3)(dmtph)](infinity), with Ln Ln Ln angles of 165 degrees and 180 degrees, respectively. In all structures, Ln(III) ions are 8-coordinate and lie in distorted square-antiprismatic environments. The coordination polymers are thermally stable up to 180-210 degrees C under a nitrogen atmosphere. Their volatility has been tested in vacuum sublimation experiments at 200-250 degrees C and 10(-2) Torr: the metal organic frameworks with acetbz and dmtph can be quantitatively sublimed, while [Ln(hfa)(3)(acbz)](infinity) undergoes thermal decomposition. The triplet state energies of the ancillary ligands, 21 600 (acetbz), 22 840 (acbz), and 24 500 (dmtph) cm(-1), lie in an ideal range for sensitizing the luminescence of Eu-III and/or Tb-III. As a result, all of the [Ln(hfa)(3)(Q)](infinity) polymers display bright red or green luminescence due to the characteristic D-5(0)-> F-7(J)(J=0-4) or D-5(4) -> F-7(J) (J=6-0) transitions, respectively. Absolute quantum yields reach 51(Eu) and 56(Tb) % for the frameworks built from dmtph. Thin films of [Eu(hfa)(3)(Q)](infinity) with 100-170 nm thickness can be obtained by thermal evaporation (P<3 x 10(-5) Torr, 200-250 degrees C). They are stable over a long period of time, and their photophysical parameters are similar to those of the bulk samples so that their use as active materials in luminescent devices can be envisaged. Mixtures of [Ln(hfa)(3)(dmpth)](infinity) with Ln = Eu and Tb yield color-tunable microcrystalline materials from red to green. Finally, the crystalline samples exhibit strong triboluminescence, which could be useful in the design of pressure and/or damage detection probes.