Methane as a Selectivity Booster in the Arc‐Discharge Synthesis of Endohedral Fullerenes: Selective Synthesis of the Single‐Molecule Magnet Dy2TiC@C80 and Its Congener Dy2TiC2@C80

The use of methane as a reactive gas dramatically increases the selectivity of the arc‐discharge synthesis of M‐Ti‐carbide clusterfullerenes (M=Y, Nd, Gd, Dy, Er, Lu). Optimization of the process parameters allows the synthesis of Dy₂TiC@C₈₀‐I and its facile isolation in a single chromatographic step. A new type of cluster with an endohedral acetylide unit, M₂TiC₂@C₈₀, is discovered along with the second isomer of M₂TiC@C₈₀. Dy₂TiC@C₈₀‐(I,II) and Dy₂TiC₂@C₈₀‐I are shown to be single‐molecule magnets (SMM), but the presence of the second carbon atom in the cluster Dy₂TiC₂@C₈₀ leads to substantially poorer SMM properties.     

Fine‐tuning the Local Symmetry to Attain Record Blocking Temperature and Magnetic Remanence in a Single‐Ion Magnet

Remanence and coercivity are the basic characteristics of permanent magnets. They are also tightly correlated with the existence of long relaxation times of magnetization in a number of molecular complexes, called accordingly single‐molecule magnets (SMMs). Up to now, hysteresis loops with large coercive fields have only been observed in polynuclear metal complexes and metal‐radical SMMs. On the contrary, mononuclear complexes, called single‐ion magnets (SIM), have shown hysteresis loops of butterfly/phonon bottleneck type, with negligible coercivity, and therefore with much shorter relaxation times of magnetization. A mononuclear Er^III complex is presented with hysteresis loops having large coercive fields, achieving 7000 Oe at T=1.8 K and field variation as slow as 1 h for the entire cycle. The coercivity persists up to about 5 K, while the hysteresis loops persist to 12 K. Our finding shows that SIMs can be as efficient as polynuclear SMMs, thus opening new perspectives for their applications.     

Trinuclear [CoIII2–LnIII] (Ln=Tb,Dy) Single‐Ion Magnets with Mixed 6‐Chloro‐2‐Hydroxypyridine and Schiff Base Ligands

The Schiff base ligand N1,N3‐bis(3‐methoxysalicylidene)diethylenetriamine (H₂valdien) and the co‐ligand 6‐chloro‐2‐hydroxypyridine (Hchp) were used to construct two 3d–4f heterometallic single‐ion magnets [Co₂Dy(valdien)₂(OCH₃)₂(chp)₂] ? ClO₄ ? 5 H₂O ( 1 ) and [Co₂Tb(valdien)₂(OCH₃)₂(chp)₂] ? ClO₄ ? 2 H₂O ? CH₃OH ( 2 ). The two trinuclear [Co^III₂Ln^III] complexes behave as a mononuclear Ln^III magnetic system because of the presence of two diamagnetic cobalt(III) ions. Complex 1 has a molecular symmetry center, and it crystallizes in the C2/c space group, whereas complex 2 shows a lower molecular symmetry and crystallizes in the P2₁/c space group. Magnetic investigations indicated that both complexes are field‐induced single‐ion magnets, and the Co^III₂–Dy^III complex possesses a larger energy barrier [74.1(4.2) K] than the Co^III₂–Tb^III complex [32.3(2.6) K].     

A Trigonal‐Pyramidal Erbium(III) Single‐Molecule Magnet

Given the recent advent of mononuclear single‐molecule magnets (SMMs), a rational approach based on lanthanides with axially elongated f‐electron charge cloud (prolate) has only recently received attention. We report herein a new SMM, [Li(THF)₄[Er{N(SiMe₃)₂}₃Cl]?2 THF, which exhibits slow relaxation of the magnetization under zero dc field with an effective barrier to the reversal of magnetization (ΔE_eff/k_B=63.3 K) and magnetic hysteresis up to 3 K at a magnetic field sweep rate of 34.6 Oe s^?1. This work questions the theory that oblate or prolate lanthanides must be stabilized with the appropriate ligand framework in order for SMM behavior to be favored.     

Enantioselective Self‐Assembly of Triangular Dy3 Clusters with Single‐Molecule Magnet Behavior

Three pairs of enantiopure chiral triangular Ln₃ clusters, [Ln₃L_{RRRRRR/SSSSSS}(μ₃‐OH)₂(H₂O)₂(SCN)₄]?xCH₃OH?yH₂O ( R ‐Dy₃ , Ln=Dy, x=6, y=0; S ‐Dy₃ , Ln=Dy, x=6, y=1; R ‐Ho₃ , Ln=Ho, x=6, y=1; S ‐Ho₃ , Ln=Ho, x=6, y=1; R ‐Er₃ , Ln=Er, x=6, y=0; S ‐Er₃ , Ln=Er, x=6, y=1), have been successfully synthesized by a rational enantioselective synthetic strategy. The core of triangular Ln₃ is bound in the central N₆O₃ of the macrocyclic ligand, and the coordination spheres of Ln ions are completed by four SCN^? anions and two H₂O molecules in axial positions of the macrocycle. The circular dichroism (CD) and vibrational circular dichroism (VCD) spectra of the enantiomers demonstrate that the chirality is successfully transferred from the ligands to the resulting Ln₃ clusters. Ac susceptibility measurements reveal that single‐molecule magnet behavior occurs for both enantiopure clusters of R ‐Dy₃ and S ‐Dy₃ . This work is one of the few examples of the successful design of a pair of triangular Dy₃ clusters showing simultaneously slow magnetic relaxation and optical activity, and this might open up new opportunities to develop novel multifunctional materials.     

Angular‐Resolved Magnetometry Beyond Triclinic Crystals Part II: Torque Magnetometry of Cp*ErCOT Single‐Molecule Magnets

The experimental investigation of the molecular magnetic anisotropy in crystals in which the magnetic centers are symmetry related, but do not have a parallel orientation has been approached by using torque magnetometry. A single crystal of the orthorhombic organometallic Cp*ErCOT [Cp*=pentamethylcyclopentadiene anion (C₅Me₅^?); COT=cyclooctatetraenedianion (C₈H₈^2?)] single‐molecule magnet, characterized by the presence of two nonparallel families of molecules in the crystal, has been investigated above its blocking temperature. The results confirm an Ising‐type anisotropy with the easy direction pointing along the pseudosymmetry axis of the complex, as previously suggested by out‐of‐equilibrium angular‐resolved magnetometry. The use of torque magnetometry, not requiring the presence of magnetic hysteresis, proves to be even more powerful for these purposes than standard single‐crystal magnetometry. Furthermore, exploiting the sensitivity and versatility of this technique, magnetic anisotropy has been investigated up to 150 K, providing additional information on the crystal‐field splitting of the ground J multiplet of the Er^III ion.     

Heterodinuclear Lanthanoid‐Containing Polyoxometalates: Stepwise Synthesis and Single‐Molecule Magnet Behavior

Polyoxometalates (POMs) with heterodinuclear lanthanoid cores, TBA₈H₄[{Ln(μ₂‐OH)₂Ln′}(γ‐SiW₁₀O₃₆)₂] ( LnLn′ ; Ln=Gd, Dy; Ln′=Eu, Yb, Lu; TBA=tetra‐n‐butylammonium), were successfully synthesized through the stepwise incorporation of two types of lanthanoid cations into the vacant sites of lacunary [γ‐SiW₁₀O₃₆]^8? units without the use of templating cations. The incorporation of a Ln³⁺ ion into the vacant site between two [γ‐SiW₁₀O₃₆]^8? units afforded mononuclear Ln³⁺‐containing sandwich‐type POMs with vacant sites ( Ln1 ; TBA₈H₅[{Ln(H₂O)₄}(γ‐SiW₁₀O₃₆)₂]; Ln=Dy, Gd, La). The vacant sites in Ln1 were surrounded by coordinating W? O and Ln? O oxygen atoms. On the addition of one equivalent of [Ln′(acac)₃] to solutions of Dy1 or Gd1 in 1,2‐dichloroethane (DCE), heterodinuclear lanthanoid cores with bis(μ₂‐OH) bridging ligands, [Dy(μ₂‐OH)₂Ln′]⁴⁺, were selectively synthesized ( LnLn′ ; Ln=Dy, Gd; Ln′=Eu, Yb, Lu). On the other hand, La1 , which contained the largest lanthanoid cation, could not accommodate a second Ln′³⁺ ion. DyLn′ showed single‐molecule magnet behavior and their energy barriers for magnetization reversal (ΔE/k_B) could be manipulated by adjusting the coordination geometry and anisotropy of the Dy³⁺ ion by tuning the adjacent Ln′³⁺ ion in the heterodinuclear [Dy(μ₂‐OH)₂Ln′]⁴⁺ cores. The energy barriers increased in the order: DyLu (ΔE/k_B=48 K)< DyYb (53 K)< DyDy (66 K)< DyEu (73 K), with an increase in the ionic radii of Ln′³⁺; DyEu showed the highest energy barrier.     

A High‐Temperature Molecular Ferroelectric Zn/Dy Complex Exhibiting Single‐Ion‐Magnet Behavior and Lanthanide Luminescence

Multifunctional molecular ferroelectrics are exciting materials synthesized using molecular chemistry concepts, which may combine a spontaneous electrical polarization, switched upon applying an electric field, with another physical property. A high‐temperature ferroelectric material is presented that is based on a chiral Zn²⁺/Dy³⁺ complex exhibiting Dy³⁺ luminescence, optical activity, and magnetism. We investigate the correlations between the electric polarization and the crystal structure as well as between the low‐temperature magnetic slow relaxation and the optical properties.     

An End‐On Azide‐Bridged Antiferromagnetic Single‐Chain Magnet Involving Spin Canting and Field‐Induced Two‐Step Magnetic Transitions

Two‐step magnetic transitions : An azide‐bridged 1D Mn^III coordination polymer with a unique single end‐on mode was prepared; it displayed atypical antiferromagnetic couplings and field‐induced two‐step magnetic transitions (see figure). The spin‐canted phenomenon in the antiferromagnetic chain complex plays a pivotal role in establishing the slow magnetic relaxation.

     

Control of the Single‐Molecule Magnet Behavior of Lanthanide‐Diarylethene Photochromic Assemblies by Irradiation with Light

Lanthanide‐based extended coordination frameworks showing photocontrolled single‐molecule magnet (SMM) behavior were prepared by combining highly anisotropic Dy^III and Ho^III ions with the carboxylato‐functionalized photochromic molecule 1,2‐bis(5‐carboxyl‐2‐methyl‐3‐thienyl)perfluorocyclopentene (H₂dae), which acts as a bridging ligand. As a result, two new compounds of the general formula [{Ln^III₂(dae)₃(DMSO)₃(MeOH)} ? 10 M eOH]_n (M=Dy for 1 a and Ho for 2 ) and two additional pseudo‐polymorphs [{Dy^III₂(dae)₃(DMSO)₃(H₂O)} ? x MeOH]_n ( 1 b ) and [{Dy^III₂(dae)₃(DMSO)₃(DMSO)} ? x MeOH]_n ( 1 c ) were obtained. All four compounds have 2D coordination‐layer topologies, in which carboxylate‐bridged Ln₂ units are linked together by dae^2? anions into grid‐like frameworks. All four compounds exhibited a strong reversible photochromic response to UV/Vis light. Moreover, both 1 a and 2 show field‐induced SMM behavior. The slow magnetic relaxation of 1 a is influenced by the photoisomerization reaction leading to the observation of the cross‐effect: photocontrolled SMM behavior.     

Large Spin‐Relaxation Barriers for the Low‐Symmetry Organolanthanide Complexes [Cp*2Ln(BPh4)] (Cp*=pentamethylcyclopentadienyl; Ln=Tb,Dy)

Single‐molecule magnets comprising one spin center represent a fundamental size limit for spin‐based information storage. Such an application hinges upon the realization of molecules possessing substantial barriers to spin inversion. Axially symmetric complexes of lanthanides hold the most promise for this due to their inherently high magnetic anisotropies and low tunneling probabilities. Herein, we demonstrate that strikingly large spin reversal barriers of 216 and 331 cm^?1 can also be realized in low‐symmetry lanthanide tetraphenylborate complexes of the type [Cp*₂Ln(BPh₄)] (Cp*=pentamethylcyclopentadienyl; Ln=Tb ( 1 ) and Dy ( 2 )). The dysprosium congener showed hysteretic magnetization data up to 5.3 K. Further studies of the magnetic relaxation processes of 1 and 2 under applied dc fields and upon dilution within a matrix of [Cp*₂Y(BPh₄)] revealed considerable suppression of the tunneling pathway, emphasizing the strong influence of dipolar interactions on the low‐temperature magnetization dynamics in these systems.     

A Linear 3d–4f Tetranuclear CoIII2DyIII2 Single‐Molecule Magnet: Synthesis,Structure, and Magnetic Properties

A linear tetranuclear 3d–4f Co₂Dy₂ cluster assembled from a polydentate Schiff base exhibits single‐molecule magnet (SMM) behavior with an anisotropic barrier of 33.8 K. Due to the presence of diamagnetic cobalt(III) ions, the tetranuclear cluster of 1 behaves magnetically like a dinuclear Dy₂ system. However, the diamagnetic segment might efficiently minimize undesirable intermolecular magnetic interactions, thereby improving the performance of the SMM behavior of 1 . This discrete complex presents us with a unique opportunity to study the magnetic properties and to probe the dynamics of magnetization in a magnetically isolated Dy₂ system.