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.     

[Mn12O12(O2CMe)12(NO3)4(H2O)4]: facile synthesis of a new type of Mn12 complex

The title dodecanuclear Mn complex, namely dodeca‐μ₂‐acetato‐κ²⁴O:O′‐tetraaquatetra‐μ₂‐nitrato‐κ⁸O:O′‐tetra‐μ₄‐oxido‐octa‐μ₃‐oxido‐tetramanganese(IV)octamanganese(III) nitromethane tetrasolvate, [Mn₁₂(CH₃COO)₁₂(NO₃)₄O₁₂(H₂O)₄]·4CH₃NO₂, was synthesized by the reaction of Mn²⁺ and Ce⁴⁺ sources in nitromethane with an excess of acetic acid. This compound is distinct from the previously known single‐molecule magnet [Mn₁₂O₁₂(O₂CMe)₁₆(H₂O)₄], synthesized by Lis [Acta Cryst. (1980), B 36 , 2042–2044]. It is the first Mn₁₂‐type molecule containing nitrate ligands to be directly synthesized without the use of a preformed cluster. Additionally, this molecule is distinct from all other known Mn₁₂ complexes due to intermolecular hydrogen bonds between the nitrate and water ligands, which give rise to a three‐dimensional network. The complex is compared to other known Mn₁₂ molecules in terms of its structural parameters and symmetry.     

A wheel-shaped single-molecule magnet of [MnII 3MnIII 4]: quantum tunneling of magnetization under static and pulse magnetic fields

The reaction of N-(2-hydroxy-5-nitrobenzyl)iminodiethanol (=H3(5-NO2-hbide)) with Mn(OAc)2* 4 H2O in methanol, followed by recrystallization from 1,2-dichloroethane, yielded a wheel-shaped single-molecule magnet (SMM) of [MnII 3MnIII 4(5-NO2-hbide)6].5 C2H4Cl2 (1). In 1, seven manganese ions are linked by six tri-anionic ligands and form the wheel in which the two manganese ions on the rim and the one in the center are MnII and the other four manganese ions are MnIII ions. Powder magnetic susceptibility measurements showed a gradual increase with chimT values as the temperature was lowered, reaching a maximum value of 53.9 emu mol(-1) K. Analyses of magnetic susceptibility data suggested a spin ground state of S=19/2. The zero-field splitting parameters of D and B 0 4 were estimated to be -0.283(1) K and -1.64(1)x10(-5) K, respectively, by high-field EPR measurements (HF-EPR). The anisotropic parameters agreed with those estimated from magnetization and inelastic neutron scattering experiments. AC magnetic susceptibility measurements showed frequency-dependent in- and out-of-phase signals, characteristic data for an SMM, and an Arrhenius plot of the relaxation time gave a re-orientation energy barrier (DeltaE) of 18.1 K and a pre-exponential factor of 1.63x10(-7) s. Magnetization experiments on aligned single crystals below 0.7 K showed a stepped hysteresis loop, confirming the occurrence of quantum tunneling of the on magnetization (QTM). QTM was, on the other hand, suppressed by rapid sweeps of the magnetic field even at 0.5 K. The sweep-rate dependence of the spin flips can be understood by considering the Landau-Zener-Stückelberg (LZS) model.     

A family of enneanuclear iron(II) single-molecule magnets

Complexes [Fe₉(X)₂(O₂CMe)₈{(2‐py)₂CO₂}₄] (X^?=OH^? ( 1 ), N₃^? ( 2 ), and NCO^? ( 3 )) have been prepared by a route previously employed for the synthesis of analogous Co₉ and Ni₉ complexes, involving hydroxide substitution by pseudohalides (N₃^?, NCO^?). As indicated by DC magnetic susceptibility measurements, this substitution induced higher ferromagnetic couplings in complexes 2 and 3 , leading to higher ground spin states compared to that of 1 . Variable‐field experiments have shown that the ground state is not well isolated from excited states, as a result of which it cannot be unambiguously determined. AC susceptometry has revealed out‐of‐phase signals, which suggests that these complexes exhibit a slow relaxation of magnetization that follows Arrhenius behavior, as observed in single‐molecule magnets, with energy barriers of 41 K for 2 (τ₀=3.4×10^?12 s) and 44 K for 3 (τ₀=2.0×10^?11 s). Slow magnetic relaxation has also been observed by zero‐field ⁵⁷Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy. Characteristic integer‐spin electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) signals have been observed at X‐band for 1 , whereas 2 and 3 were found to be EPR‐silent at this frequency. ¹H NMR spectrometry in CD₃CN has shown that complexes 1 – 3 are stable in solution.     

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.