Annaliese E. Thuijs

Manganese/Cerium Clusters Spanning a Range of Oxidation Levels and CeMn8, Ce2Mn4, and Ce6Mn4 Nuclearities: Structural, Magnetic, and EPR Properties

The syntheses, structures, and magnetic properties are reported for three new Ce/Mn clusters with different Ce/Mn ratios: [Ce6Mn4O12(O2CMe)10(NO3)4(py)4] (py = pyridine) (1), [CeMn8O8(O2CCH2(t)Bu)12(DMF)14] (DMF = dimethylformamide) (2), and [Ce2Mn4O2(O2CMe)6(NO3)4(hmp)4] (3; hmp(-) is the anion of 2-(hydroxymethyl)pyridine). 1 and 2 were obtained from the reaction of Ce(IV) with [Mn12O12(O2CMe)16(H2O)4] (Mn(III)8Mn(IV)4) and [Mn8O2(O2CCH2(t)Bu)14((t)BuCH2CO2H)4] (Mn(II)6Mn(III)2), respectively, whereas 3 resulted from the oxidation of Mn(II) acetate with Ce(IV) in the presence of hmpH. Cluster 1 possesses an unusual [Ce6Mn4O12](14+) core topology consisting of a [Ce6O8] face-capped octahedron, which is face-fused at each end to a [Ce(IV)2Mn(III)Mn(IV)O4] cubane. Cluster 2 possesses a nonplanar, saddlelike loop of eight Mn(III) atoms bridged by eight μ3-O(2-) ions to a central Ce(IV) atom. Cluster 3 is similar to 1 in possessing an octahedral core, but this is now a [Ce2Mn4] octahedron consisting of a Ce(III) atom on either side of a Mn4 parallelogram, with the metal atoms bridged by two μ4-O(2-) ions, the alkoxide arms of four hmp(-) groups, and six acetates. Clusters 1, 2, and 3 are thus at the Ce(IV)6Mn(III)2Mn(IV)2, Ce(IV)Mn(III)8, and Ce(III)2Mn(III)4 oxidation levels, respectively. Variable-temperature, solid-state direct current (DC) and alternating current (AC) magnetization studies on 1-3 in the 5.0-300 K range revealed predominantly antiferromagnetic exchange interactions within the complexes. For 1, fitting of the DC data to the theoretical expression for a dinuclear Mn(III)Mn(IV) complex derived using the Van Vleck equation and an isotropic spin Hamiltonian (ℋ = -2JŜi·Ŝj convention) gave a value for the exchange coupling parameter (J) of -60.4(7) cm(-1) and a Landé factor g = 2.00(1), indicating an S = 1/2 ground state. For 2, both DC and AC data indicate an S = 0 ground state, which is unprecedented for a member of the CeMn8 family and now means members of the latter have been made that span the whole range of possible ground states from S = 0 to the maximum S = 16. Cluster 3 possesses an S = 0 ground state for its Mn4 fragment, with the paramagnetism remaining at low temperature coming from the weakly coupled Ce(III) centers. These three species are new additions to the Mn-Ce family of clusters and the broader class of 3d/4f molecular systems.

CoII4, CoII7, and a Series of CoII2LnIII (LnIII = NdIII, SmIII, GdIII, TbIII, DyIII) Coordination Clusters: Search for Single Molecule Magnets

We report herein the syntheses and investigation of the magnetic properties of a CoII4 compound, a series of trinuclear CoII2LnIII (LnIII = NdIII, SmIII, GdIII, TbIII, DyIII) complexes, and a CoII7 complex. The homometallic CoII4 core was obtained from the reaction of Ln(NO3)3·xH2O/Co(NO3)2·6H2O/H2vab/Et3N in a 0.5:0.5:1:2 ratio in methanol. Variation in synthetic conditions was necessary to get the desired CoII-LnIII complexes. The CoII-LnIII assembly was synthesized from Ln(NO3)3·xH2O/Co(OAc)2·4H2O/H2vab/NaOMe in a 0.4:0.5:1:1 ratio in methanol. The isostructural CoII2LnIII complexes have a core structure with the general formula [Co2Ln(Hvab)4(NO3)](NO3)2·MeOH·H2O, (where H2vab = 2-[(2-hydroxymethyl-phenylimino)-methyl]-6-methoxy-phenol) with simultaneous crystallization of CoII7 complex in each reaction. The magnetic investigation of these complexes reveals that both homometallic complexes and four CoII-LnIII complexes (except CoII-NdIII) display behavior characteristic of single molecule magnets.

New structural types of Mn16 single-molecule magnets: W-shaped topology from reductive aggregation.

Two new Mn16 clusters are reported: [Mn16O10(OH)3(OMe)8(O2CPhBut)17(MeOH)5] (2) and [Mn16O16(OMe)6(O2CPh)12(NO3)4(MeOH)2(H2O)4] (3). The complexes were obtained by reductive aggregation of MnO4– in CH2Cl2/MeOH, and oxidation of MnII and preformed (NnBu4)[Mn4IIIO2(O2CPh)9(H2O)] with CeIV, respectively. The core of 2 has a Mn16III core with an unusual 1:2:3:4:3:2:1 layer structure and a W-shaped pleated topology, whereas 3 contains a central 2 × 3 Mn6IV planar grid held within a nonplanar Mn10III loop and is a rare example of a complex with nitrate ions bridging like carboxylate ions. Variable-temperature, solid-state dc susceptibility, and ac susceptibility studies reveal that 2 and 3 possess S = 12 and S = 8 ground states, respectively. Fits of dc magnetization data collected over a temperature range of 1.8–4.0 K and a magnetization range of 0.1–4 T were fit to give S = 12, D = −0.16(2) cm–1, g = 1.98(3) for 2 and S = 8, D = −0.22(1) cm–1, g = 1.99(2) for 3, where D is the axial zero-field splitting parameter. The ac in-phase (χM′T) susceptibility below 15 K confirmed the ground-state spin values of 2 and 3, as determined from dc data, and the appearance of frequency-dependent out-of-phase (χM″) signals revealed that both complexes are new single-molecule magnets (SMMs). Fits of the ac data gave Ueff = 49.7(1) K and τ0 = 4.32 × 10–9 s for 2 and Ueff ≈ 14.0 ± 2 cm–1 and τ0 ≈ 3.2 ± 0.5 × 10–8 s for 3, where Ueff is the effective barrier to magnetization relaxation and τ0 is the pre-exponential factor. Thus, complexes 2 and 3 are two new members of a growing family of Mn16 clusters, and two new examples of high-nuclearity SMMs, with the Ueff for 2 approaching the value for the prototypical SMM family, [Mn12O12(O2CR)16(H2O)4].

Heterometallic MnIII4Ln2 (Ln = Dy, Gd, Tb) Cross-Shaped Clusters and Their Homometallic MnIII4MnII2 Analogues

The employment of di-2-pyridyl ketone, (py)2CO, in heterometallic Mn/4f and homometallic Mn cluster chemistry has yielded six MnIII4Ln2 and two MnIII4MnII2 structurally related clusters, namely, [Mn4Ln2O2{(py)2CO2}4(NO3)2(RCO2)2(H2O)6](NO3)2 (Ln = Gd, 1, 5; Dy, 2; Tb, 3; R = Et, 1-3; Me, 5), [Mn4Dy2O2{(py)2CO2}4(NO3)4(EtCO2)2(H2O)3(MeOH)]·0.7MeOH·0.8H2O (4·0.7MeOH·0.8H2O), [Mn4Gd2O2{(py)2CO2}4(NO3)4(C6H4ClCO2)2(MeOH)2(py)2]·2MeOH (6·2MeOH), [Mn6O2{(py)2CO2}4(py)4(H2O)4](ClO4)4·4H2O (7·4H2O), and [Mn6O2{(py)2CO2}4(NO3)4(py)4] (8), where (py)2CO22- is the dianion of the gem-diol derivative of (py)2CO. The compounds possess a new type of cross-shaped structural core, which in the case of 1-6 is essentially planar, whereas in 7 and 8 it deviates from planarity. Clusters 1-6 are rare examples of Mn/4f species bearing (py)2CO or its derivatives, despite the fact that this ligand has been well-studied and proven a rich source of more than 200 metal compounds so far. Variable-temperature, solid-state direct-current and alternating-current magnetization studies were performed on complexes 1-5, 7, and 8 revealing that the dominant exchange interactions between the metal ions are antiferromagnetic and indicating ground-state spin values of S = 5 (for 1), 6 (for 5), and 2 (for 7 and 8).

Molecular analogue of the perovskite repeating unit and evidence for direct Mn III -Ce IV -Mn III exchange coupling pathway

The perovskite manganites AMnO3 and their doped analogues A1–xBxMnO3 (A and B = main group and lanthanide metals) are a fascinating family of magnetic oxides exhibiting a rich variety of properties. They are thus under intense investigation along multiple fronts, one of which is how their structural and physical properties are modified at the nanoscale. Here we show that the molecular compound [Ce3Mn8O8(O2CPh)18(HO2CPh)2] (CeIII2CeIVMnIII8; hereafter Ce3Mn8) bears a striking structural resemblance to the repeating unit seen in the perovskite manganites. Further, magnetic studies have established that Ce3Mn8 exhibits both the combination of pairwise MnIII2 ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic exchange interactions, and the resultant spin vector alignments that are found within the 3-D C-type antiferromagnetic perovskites. First-principles theoretical calculations reveal not only the expected nearest-neighbor MnIII2 exchange couplings via superexchange pathways through bridging ligands but also an unusual, direct MnIII–CeIV–MnIII metal-to-metal channel involving the CeIVf orbitals.Perovskite manganites exhibit intriguing but poorly understood properties, including multiferroicity. Here, the authors synthesize a Ce3Mn8 cluster that structurally resembles a perovskite repeat unit, and use this molecular analogue to elucidate mechanisms driving bulk perovskite properties.

Crystal structure of catena-poly[[(dimethyl sulfoxide-κO)(pyridine-2,6-di­carboxyl­ato-κ3O,N,O′)nickel(II)]-μ-pyrazine-κ2N:N′]

A one-dimensional NiII coordination polymer has been prepared via solvothermal synthesis using dimethyl sulfoxide as solvent. The coordination polymer forms double-chains along [010] and exhibits π–π stacking and C—H⋯π interactions forming the interior of the double-chains, separated from a C—H⋯π hydrogen-bonding network in the space between the double-chains.

Crystal structure of catena-poly[bis­(tetra­ethyl­ammonium) [tetra­aqua­tris(μ-dicyanamido-κ2N1:N5)bis(dicyanamido-κN1)di­cobaltate(II)] dicyanamide]

The title structure comprises a cation-templated anionic CoII-dicyanamide network composed of μ 1,5-dicyanamide-bridged CoII chains inter-connected via μ 1,5-dicyanamide bridges.