Latest Research on the Magnetic Properties of Coordination Compounds

The reaction of CuCl₂∙2H₂O, (E)-2-hydroxy-1,2-di(pyridin-2-yl)ethanone oxime (α-pyroxH₂) and Et₃N in refluxing MeOH gave complex [Cu₁₂Cl₁₂(mpydol)₄(pydox)₂(MeOH)₄] (1), where mpydol²⁻ is the dianion of 1,2-dimethoxy-1,2-di(pyridin-2-yl)ethane-1,2-diol and pydox²⁻ is the dianion of (E,E)-1,2-di(pyridin-2-yl)ethanedione dioxime. “Blind” experiments have proven that the transformation of α-pyroxH₂ is copper(II)-assisted. By changing the solvent from MeOH to MeCN, the polymeric compound {[Cu₄Cl₄(pic)₄]}_n (2) was isolated; pic⁻ is the pyridine-2-carboxylato(-1) ligand. The observed α-pyroxH₂ → pic⁻ transformation is also copper(II)-assisted. The topology of the metal ions in 1 can be described as consisting of four consecutive isosceles triangles in a zigzag configuration. Complex 2 is a 2D coordination polymer consisting of Cu^II₄ squares. Complete mechanistic views for the α-pyroxH₂ → mpydol²⁻, pydox²⁻ and pic⁻ transformations are critically discussed. In 1, the six Cu^II ions of the “central” triangles seem to be strongly antiferromagnetically coupled, thus cancelling out their spins ($S_{{\mathrm{Cu}}_6}$ = 0). The two local spins of S = 1/2 for each of the antiferromagnetically coupled “terminal” Cu^II₃ triangles result in an overall S = 1 ground state spin value for 1. In 2, the four Cu^II ions within each tetrameric unit are practically isolated and ferromagnetic interactions occur between these units through Cu^II–(μ-Cl)–Cu^II bridges. Full article

In this paper, we investigate the magnetic exchange interaction and magnetization dynamics of two new members of the [LnRad(NO₃)₃] family, where Rad is a tripodal nitroxide, and Ln is Er(III) or Yb(III), having the prolate type electron density. Single OK crystal and powder X-ray diffraction studies showed that these complexes are isostructural with their previously investigated Y, Gd, Dy, Tm, Tb, Eu, and Lu congeners. A magnetometric investigation, supported by ab initio calculations, showed the presence of antiferromagnetic coupling between the lanthanide ion and the radical in both compounds with estimated J values of ≈7 and ≈20 cm⁻¹ for Er and Yb, respectively (+J S_eff∙ S formalism). Full article

Schiff bases constitute a broad and well-established class of ligands widely utilized in coordination chemistry. To further enrich this family and assess the potential impact of oxalyldihydrazide-derived Schiff bases in the realms of coordination chemistry and molecular magnetism, three novel ligands have been synthesized and investigated. i.e., N′1,N′2-bis((E)-pyridin-2-ylmethylene)oxalohydrazide (H₂L1), N′1-((E)-(3-methylpyridin-2-yl)methylene)-N′2-((E)-(6-methylpyridin-2-yl)methylene)oxalohydrazide (H₂L2) and N′1,N′2-bis((E)-phenyl(pyridin-2-yl)methylene)oxalohydrazide (H₂L3) were synthesized and then combined with various 3d metals, resulting in the formation of five new complexes with formula [Cu₅(L1)₂(H₂O)₈(MeOH)₂(NO₃)₂](NO₃)₄ (1), [Mn₂(HL2)₂(BzO)₂(MeOH)₂]·2MeOH (2), [Ni(HL2)₂]·2MeOH (3), [Ni₄(L2)₄]·4MeOH (4), [Ni₈(L3)₄(AcO)₄(H₂O)₁₂](OAc)₄ (5). These compounds were structurally and magnetically characterized, revealing the various coordination modes exhibited by the ligands and a distinct antiferromagnetic behavior. Alternating current (AC) susceptibility measurements were conducted on complex 1, showing no evidence of Single Molecule Magnet (SMM) behavior. Full article

The chemistry of heterometallic metal complexes continues to attract the interest of molecular inorganic chemists mainly because of the properties that different metal ions can bring to compounds. Contrary to the plethora of 3d–4f- and 3d–3d′-metal complexes, complexes containing both 3d- and 4d-metal ions are much less studied. The choice of the bridging organic ligand is of paramount importance for the synthesis of such species. In the present work, we describe the use of the potentially tetradentate NOO′O″ Schiff bases N-(2-carboxyphenyl)salicylideneimine (saphHCOOH) and N-(4-chloro-carboxyphenyl)salicylideneimine (4ClsaphHCOOH) in Cd^II-M^III (M = Fe, Cr) chemistry. The complexes [Cd₂Fe₂(saphCOO)₄(NO₃)₂(H₂O)₂] (1), [Cd₂Cr₂(saphCOO)₄(NO₃)₂(H₂O)₂] (2), [Cd₂Fe₂(4ClsaphCOO)₄(NO₃)₂(H₂O)₂] (3) and [CdCr₂(4ClsaphCOO)₄(H₂O)₃(EtOH)] (4) have been structurally characterized, the quality of the structure of the latter being poor but, permitting the knowledge of the connectivity and the main structural features. Complexes 1–3 are isostructural, but not isomorphous, possessing a variety of lattice solvent molecules (EtOH, MeCN, CH₂Cl₂, H₂O). The metal topology can be described as two isosceles triangles sharing a common Cd^II…Cd^II edge. The two Cd^II atoms are doubly bridged by two μ-aqua groups. The M^III…Cd^II sides of the triangles are each asymmetrically bridged by one carboxylate oxygen atom of a 2.2111 saphCOO²⁻/4ClsaphCOO²⁻ ligand. The core of the molecules is {Cd₂M₂(μ-O_aqua)₂(μ-OR)₄}⁶⁺, where the OR oxygen atoms are the bridging carboxylate oxygens. The coordination spheres of the metal ions in the centrosymmetric molecules are [Cd(O_aqua)₂(O_carboxylato)₄(O_nitrato)₂] and [M(N_imino)₂(O_carboxylato)₂(O_phenolato)₂]. The biaugmented trigonal prism is the most appropriate for the description of the coordination geometry of the Cd^II atoms in 1 and 3, while the geometry of these metal ions in 2 is best described as distorted triangular dodecahedral. A combination of H-bonding and π–π stacking interactions give interesting supramolecular patterns in the three tetranuclear compounds. The three metal ions in 4 define an isosceles triangle with two almost equal Cd^II…Cr^III sides. The Cd^II center is linked to each Cr^III atom through one carboxylato oxygen of a 2.2111 4ClsaphCOO²⁻ ligand. The core of the molecule is {CdCr₂(μ-OR)₂}⁶⁺, where the OR oxygen atoms are the bridging carboxylato oxygens. A tridentate chelating 1.1101 4ClsaphCOO²⁻ ligand is bonded to each Cr^III. The coordination spheres are [Cd(O_aqua)₃(O_ethanol)(O_{bridging carboxylato})₂(O_{terminal carboxylate})₂] and [Cr(O_{bridging carboxylato})(O_{terminal carboxylato})(O_phenolato)₂(N_imino)₂]. Complexes 1–4 are the first heterometallic 3d–4d complexes based on saphHCOOH and 4ClsaphCOOH. The structures are critically compared with those of previous reported Zn^II-M^III (M = Fe, Cr) complexes. The IR and Raman spectra of the complexes are discussed in terms of the coordination modes of the ligands involved. UV/VIS spectra in CH₂Cl₂ are also reported, and the bands are assigned to the corresponding transitions. The δ and ΔE_Q⁵⁷Fe-Mössbauer parameters of 1 and 3 at room temperature and 80 K suggest the presence of isolated high-spin Fe^III centers. Variable-temperature (1.8–310 K) and variable-field (0–50 kOe) magnetic studies for 1 and 2 indicate the absence of M^III…M^III exchange interactions, in agreement with the long distances (~8 Å) between the paramagnetic metal ions. The combined work demonstrates the ability of saphCOO²⁻ and 4ClsaphCOO²⁻ to give 3d–4d metal complexes. Full article