Weak ferromagnetism and strong spin-spin interaction mediated by the mixed-valence ethynyltetrathiafulvalene-type ligand

A new chromium complex with ethynyltetrathiafulvalene (TTF)-type ligands, [CrCyclam(C≡C-5-methyl-4'5'-ethylenedithio-TTF)(2)]OTf ([1]OTf), was synthesized. The cyclic voltammetry of the complex shows two reversible oxidation waves owing to the first and second oxidation of the TTF unit. The electrochemical oxidation of [1]OTf in a Bu(4)NClO(4) or Bu(4)NBF(4) solution of a 1:1 acetonitrile-chlorobenzene mixture gave isostructural crystals of [1][ClO(4)](2)(PhCl)(2)(MeCN) and [1][BF(4)](2)(PhCl)(2)(MeCN), where two mixed-valence TTF units of adjacent complexes form a dimer radical cation. The crystal structures are characterized by an alternating chain of S = 3/2 Cr(3+)Cyclam units and S = ? (TTF)(2)(+) dimers. These two paramagnetic components are connected directly by an ethynyl group, resulting in a strong intrachain spin-spin interaction of 2J/k(B) = -30 and -28 K for [ClO(4)](-) and [BF(4)](-) salts, respectively (H = -2J∑(i)S(i)·S(i+1)). Both salts show a weak ferromagnetic transition at 23 K thanks to interchain antiferromagnetic interaction between TTF dimers. The remanent magnetizations and coercive forces of nonoriented samples at 1.8 K are 0.016 μ(B) and 90 mT for the [ClO(4)](-) salt and 0.010 μ(B) and 50 mT Oe for the [BF(4)](-) salt, respectively. The weak ferromagnetism is attributed to the Dzyaloshinsky-Moriya interaction between adjacent TTF dimers and/or the single-ion anisotropy of [1](2+).