Synthesis,crystal structure and magnetic property of a two‐dimensional herringbone‐like network with praseodymium(III) nitrate and 1‐bromo‐ 3,5‐bis(imidazol‐1‐ylmethyl)benzene (bib)

A new complex [Pr(bib)₂(NO₃)₃] ( 1 ) was synthesized by reaction of bidentate imidazole‐containing ligand 1‐bromo‐3,5‐bis(imidazol‐1‐ylmethyl)benzene (bib) with Pr(NO₃)·6H₂O and characterized by X‐ray crystallography. Complex 1 has a two‐dimensional herringbone‐like structure with the ligand bib serving as a bridging ligand using its two imidazolyl nitrogen atoms. Ligand bib adopts cis and trans two different conformations, and the Pr(III) atoms are bridged by bib in two different ways. Thermogravimetric analysis for complex 1 was carried out and the result shows that the complex is stable up to 180 °C. Variable‐temperature magnetic susceptibility of complex 1 was measured between 1.8 and 300 K and the result shows that the χ_MT value decreases continuously over the whole temperature range. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.