Heterometallic [Mn5-Ln4] single-molecule magnets with high anisotropy barriers

The reaction of [Mn6O2(Piv)(10)(4-Me-py)(2.5)(PivH)(1.5)] (1) (py: pyridine, Piv: pivilate) with N-methyldiethanolamine (mdeaH2) and Ln(NO3)3 x 6 H2O in MeCN leads to a series of nonanuclear compounds [Mn5Ln4(O)6(mdea)2(mdeaH)2(Piv)6(NO3)4(H2O)2]2 MeCN (Ln=Tb(III) (2), Dy(III) (3), Ho(III) (4), Y(III) (5)). Single-crystal X-ray diffraction shows that compounds 2-5 are isostructural, with the central core composed of two distorted {Mn(IV)Mn(III)Ln2O4} cubanes sharing a Mn(IV) vertex, representing a new heterometallic 3d-4f motif for this class of ligand. The four new compounds display single-molecule magnet (SMM) behaviour, which is modulated by the lanthanide ion used. Moreover, the values found for Delta(eff) and tau(o) for 3 of 38.6 K and 3.0 x 10(-9) s respectively reveal that the complex 3 exhibits the highest energy barrier recorded so far for 3d-4f SMMs. The slow relaxation of the magnetisation for 3 was confirmed by mu-SQUID measurements on an oriented single crystal and the observation of M versus H hysteresis loops below 1.9 K.     

Pure trinuclear 4f single-molecule magnets: synthesis, structures, magnetism and ab initio investigation

A family of linear Dy₃ and Tb₃ clusters have been facilely synthesized from the reactions of DyCl₃, the polydentate 3‐methyloxysalicylaldoxime (MeOsaloxH₂) ligand with auxiliary monoanionic ligands, such as trichloroacetate, NO₃^?, OH^?, and Cl^?. Complexes 1 – 5 contain a nearly linear Ln₃ core, with similar Ln???Ln distances (3.6901(4)–3.7304(3) Å for the Dy₃ species, and 3.7273(3)–3.7485(5) Å for the Tb₃ species) and Ln???Ln???Ln angles of 157.036(8)–159.026(15)° for the Dy₃ species and 157.156(8)–160.926(15)° for the Tb₃ species. All three Ln centers are bridged by the two doubly‐deprotonated [MeOsalox]^2? ligands and two of the four [MeOsaloxH]^? ligands through the N,O‐η²‐oximato groups and the phenoxo oxygen atoms (Dy‐O‐Dy angles=102.28(16)–106.85(13)°; Tb‐O‐Tb angles=102.00(11)–106.62(11)°). The remaining two [MeOsaloxH]^? ligands each chelate an outer Ln^III center through their phenoxo oxygen and oxime nitrogen atoms. Magnetic studies reveal that both Dy₃ and Tb₃ clusters exhibit significant ferromagnetic interactions and that the Dy₃ species behave as single‐molecule magnets, expanding upon the recent reports of the pure 4f type SMMs.     

Enhancing the blocking temperature in single-molecule magnets by incorporating 3d-5d exchange interactions

We report the first single-molecule magnet (SMM) to incorporate the [Os(CN)(6)](3-) moiety. The compound (1) has a trimeric, cyanide-bridged Mn(III)-Os(III)-Mn(III) skeleton in which Mn(III) designates a [Mn(5-Brsalen)(MeOH)](+) unit (5-Brsalen=N,N'-ethylenebis(5-bromosalicylideneiminato)). X-ray crystallographic experiments reveal that 1 is isostructural with the Mn(III)-Fe(III)-Mn(III) analogue (2). Both compounds exhibit a frequency-dependent out-of-phase χ'(T) alternating current (ac) susceptibility signal that is suggestive of SMM behaviour. From the Arrhenius expression, the effective barrier for 1 is found to be Δ(eff)/k(B)=19 K (τ(0)=5.0×10(-7) s; k(B)=Boltzmann constant), whereas only the onset (1.5 kHz, 1.8 K) of χ'(T) is observed for 2, thus indicating a higher blocking temperature for 1. The strong spin-orbit coupling present in Os(III) isolates the E'(1g(1/2))(O(h)*) Kramers doublet that exhibits orbital contributions to the single-ion anisotropy. Magnetic susceptibility and inelastic neutron-scattering measurements reveal that substitution of [Fe(CN)(6)](3-) by the [Os(CN)(6)](3-) anion results in larger ferromagnetic, anisotropic exchange interactions going from quasi-Ising exchange interactions in 2 to pure Ising exchange for 1 with J(parallel)(MnOs)=-30.6 cm(-1). The combination of diffuse magnetic orbitals and the Ising-type exchange interaction effectively contributes to a higher blocking temperature. This result is in accordance with theoretical predictions and paves the way for the design of a new generation of SMMs with enhanced SMM properties.     

A dinuclear MnIII-CuII single-molecule magnet

The reaction of 1/3 equivalent of CuCl2.2H2O with MnCl2.4H2O and 5-bromo-2-salicylideneamino-1-propanol (H(2)5-Br-sap) in methanol gave dark brown crystals of [MnIIICuIICl(5-Br-sap)2(MeOH)] (1). Complex 1 has an alkoxo-bridged dinuclear core of MnIII and CuII ions, which have elongated octahedral and square-planar coordination geometries, respectively. In dc magnetic susceptibility measurements, chi(m)T values increased as the temperature was lowered, followed by a sudden decrease below 20 K. This behavior is indicative of the occurrence of intramolecular ferromagnetic interactions, and fitting gave an S=5/2 spin ground state with an exchange coupling constant J(MnCu) of +78 cm(-1). Magnetization data collected as a function of temperature and applied magnetic field were analyzed by using a spin Hamiltonian with isotropic Zeeman and axial zero-field splitting (ZFS) terms, and a negative D(5/2) value (-1.86 cm(-1)) was obtained. A high-field EPR (HFEPR) spectrum (342.0 GHz) at 4.2 K was composed of four peaks, and two additional peaks at higher magnetic field appeared as the temperature was increased. The temperature dependences in the HFEPR spectra are indicative of a negative D(5/2) value, and fitting of the data gave D(5/2)=-1.81 cm(-1). In the ac magnetic susceptibility measurements, frequency dependent in-phase (chi(m)') and out-of-phase (chi(m)') signals with peak maxima at 0.7-1.5 K were observed and small peaks below 0.7 K appeared. The ac susceptibility data supports that 1 is a single-molecule magnet (SMM). Arrhenius plots for the chi(m)' peaks from 0.7-1.5 K gave the re-orientation energy barrier (DeltaE) of 10.5 K with a pre-exponential factor of 8.2x10(-8) s.     

Magnetic “Molecular Oligomers” Based on Decametallic Supertetrahedra: A Giant Mn49 Cuboctahedron and its Mn25Na4 Fragment

Two nanosized Mn₄₉ and Mn₂₅Na₄ clusters based on analogues of the high‐spin (S=22) [Mn^III₆Mn^II₄(μ₄‐O)₄]¹⁸⁺ supertetrahedral core are reported. Mn₄₉ and Mn₂₅Na₄ complexes consist of eight and four decametallic supertetrahedral subunits, respectively, display high virtual symmetry (O_h), and are unique examples of clusters based on a large number of tightly linked high nuclearity magnetic units. The complexes also have large spin ground‐state values (Mn₄₉: S=61/2; Mn₂₅Na₄: S=51/2) with the Mn₄₉ cluster displaying single‐molecule magnet (SMM) behavior and being the second largest reported homometallic SMM.