A new series of six isostructural molecular solids of the composition [{Al(H2O)6}{Ln(pda)3}].10H2O where Ln = Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy and Yb have been synthesized and structurally characterised. All the solids are built of three major building blocks: the lanthanide dipicolinate anion, {Ln(pda)3}3−, the counter cation, {Al(H2O)6}3+ and a hexameric water cluster in chair form. The cations and the anions supramolecularly aggregate forming a 2D H-bonded sheet; the sheets are further stabilised through hexameric water clusters in chair form and water molecules. The crystals containing Sm, Eu, Tb and Dy showed characteristic emission of lanthanide ions. © 2018 Elsevier B.V.