A novel lanthanum(Ⅲ) complex, [LaL2(NO3)3]·H2O(1) based on L(L = N-(naphthalene-1-yl)-2-(quinolin-8-yloxy)acetamide), was synthesized and characterized by X-ray diffraction. The crystal of 1 belongs to the monoclinic system, space group C2 c with Mr = 1017.69, a = 25.1438(17), b = 13.5950(9), c = 18.2349(12) A, β = 132.4980(10)°, V = 4595.8(5) A3, Z = 4, Dc = 1.471 Mg/m3, F(000) = 2056, μ = 1.004 mm-1, R = 0.0588 and wR = 0.1402. The central La(Ⅲ) ion is coordinated to four oxygen atoms, two nitrogen atoms from two independent acetamide ligands and six oxygen atoms from three nitrate anions, possessing a distorted icosahedron coordination geometry. In the crystal of 1, intermolecular N–H···O hydrogen bonds linked the molecules into chains along the c axis. In solid state and CH3 CN solution, complex 1 exhibits stronger fluorescent emission than the ligand L. A novel lanthanum (Ⅲ) complex, [LaL2 (NO3) 3] · H2O (1) based on L (L = N- (naphthalene-1-yl) -2- (quinolin-8-yloxy) acetamide The crystal of 1 belongs to the monoclinic system, space group C2 c with Mr = 1017.69, a = 25.1438 (17), b = 13.5950 (9), c = 18.2349 A, β = 132.4980 (10) °, V = 4595.8 (5) A3, Z = 4, Dc = 1.471 Mg / m3, F (000) = 2056, μ = 1.004 mm-1, R = 0.0588 and wR = 0.1402. La (III) ion is coordinated to four oxygen atoms, two nitrogen atoms from two independent acetamide ligands and six oxygen atoms from three nitrate anions, possessing a distorted icosahedron coordination geometry. In the crystal of 1, intermolecular N-H ··· O hydrogen bonds linked the molecules into chains along the c axis. In solid state and CH3 CN solution, complex 1 exhibits stronger fluorescent emission than the ligand L.