Optical Phenomena in Molecule-Based Magnetic Materials

Since the last century, we have witnessed the development of molecular magnetism which deals with magnetic materials based on molecular species, i.e., organic radicals and metal complexes. Among them, the broadest attention was devoted to molecule-based ferro-/ferrimagnets, spin transition materials, including those exploring electron transfer, molecular nanomagnets, such as single-molecule magnets (SMMs), molecular qubits, and stimuli-responsive magnetic materials. Their physical properties open the application horizons in sensors, data storage, spintronics, and quantum computation. It was found that various optical phenomena, such as thermochromism, photoswitching of magnetic and optical characteristics, luminescence, nonlinear optical and chiroptical effects, as well as optical responsivity to external stimuli, can be implemented into molecule-based magnetic materials. Moreover, the fruitful interactions of these optical effects with magnetism in molecule-based materials can provide new physical cross-effects and multifunctionality, enriching the applications in optical, electronic, and magnetic devices. This Review aims to show the scope of optical phenomena generated in molecule-based magnetic materials, including the recent advances in such areas as high-temperature photomagnetism, optical thermometry utilizing SMMs, optical addressability of molecular qubits, magneto-chiral dichroism, and opto-magneto-electric multifunctionality. These findings are discussed in the context of the types of optical phenomena accessible for various classes of molecule-based magnetic materials.

A rare isostructural series of 3d-4f cyanido-bridged heterometallic squares obtained by assembling [FeIII{HB(pz)3}(CN)3]- and LnIII ions: synthesis, X-ray structure and cryomagnetic study

A new series of cyanido-bridged {Fe^IIILn^III}₂ neutral molecular squares of general formula [Fe{HB(pz)₃}(CN)(μ-CN)₂Ln(NO₃)₂(pyim)(Ph₃PO)]₂·2CH₃CN [Ln = Ce (1), Pr (2), Nd (3), Gd (4), Tb (5), Dy (6) and Er (7); {HB(pz)₃}^- = hydrotris(pyrazolyl)borate, pyim = 2-(1H-imidazol-2-yl)pyridine and Ph₃PO = triphenylphosphine oxide] were obtained by reacting the low-spin [Fe{HB(pz)₃}(CN)₃]^- species with the preformed [Ln^III(pyim)(NO₃)₂(pyim)(Ph₃PO)]⁺ complex anions (generated in situ by mixing the nitrate salt of each Ln(III) ion with pyim and Ph₃PO molecules). Single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies show that 1-7 are isostructural compounds that crystallize in the triclinic P1̄ space group. Their crystal structures consist of centrosymmetric cyanido-bridged {Fe^IIILn^III}₂ molecular squares where two [Fe{HB(pz)₃}(CN)₃]^- units adopt bis-monodentate coordination modes towards two [Ln^III(pyim)(NO₃)₂(pyim)(Ph₃PO)]⁺ moieties. The cis-oriented convergent sites from both low-spin Fe^III and Ln^III fragments form a quasi square-shaped molecule in which the 3d and 4f ions alternatively occupy the corners of the square. Both Fe^III ions show a distorted octahedral surrounding (C_3v symmetry), whereas the Ln^III ions exhibit a distorted muffin-like geometry (C_s symmetry) in 1-7. The intramolecular Fe^III⋯Ln^III distances across the two cyanido-bridges range from ca. 5.48/5.46 up to ca. 5.58/5.61 Å. The molecular squares in 1-7 are interlinked through hydrogen bonds, weak π⋯π stacking and very weak C-H⋯π type interactions into three-dimensional supramolecular networks. The analysis of the solid-state direct-current (dc) magnetic susceptibility data of 1-7 in the temperature range 1.9-300 K reveals the occurrence of weak intra- and intermolecular antiferromagnetic interactions. The small intramolecular antiferromagnetic couplings in 4 compare well with those previously reported for parent systems. Although the coexistence of the spin-orbit coupling (SOC) of the low-spin iron(III) and lanthanide(III) ions in the remaining compounds together with the ligand field effects mask the visualization and make difficult the evaluation of the possible magnetic interactions in them, we were able to do it through a SOC model applied on exact or effective Hamiltonians. Frequency-dependent alternating current magnetic susceptibility signals in the temperature range 2.0-9.0 K under zero and non-zero static fields were observed for 5-7 which indicate slow magnetic relaxation (SMM) behavior. The usual absence of χ''_M maxima moved us to estimate their energy barriers through ln(χ''_M/ χ'_M) vs. 1/T plots, obtaining values from 25 to 40 cm^-1.

Diverse physical functionalities of rare-earth hexacyanidometallate frameworks and their molecular analogues

The combination of rare-earth metal complexes and hexacyanidometallates of transition metals is a fruitful pathway for achieving functional materials exhibiting a wide scope of mechanical, magnetic, optical, and electrochemical properties.

New coordination networks containing trinuclear lanthanide complexes and hexacyanometallates

Three different families of trinuclear lanthanide complexes supported by TDCI (1,3,5-tris(dimethylamino)-1,3,5-trideoxy-cis-inositol), [Ln3(TDCI)2(H2O)6]3+, and hexacyanometallates as linkers have been synthesized and structurally characterized. The combination of [Cr(CN)6]3- and trinuclear complexes having Gd3+, Tb3+ and Dy3+ ions results in a family of compounds that features 1D-chains that crystallize in the Pmmn space group. [Fe(CN)6]3- couples with trinuclear complexes containing Gd3+-Er3+ yielding a family of compounds featuring 2D-networks that crystallize in the Pnma space group. Using [Co(CN)6]3-, a new family of compounds characterized by 1D-chains is obtained when the trinuclear cluster has Ho3+, Er3+ and Y3+ ions, which crystallize in the Pnma space group. Magnetic susceptibility and magnetization measurements of the selected compounds show a magnetically independent behavior of their constituting ions with the exception of C30H54N12O9Er3Fe.

Design of 3d–4f molecular squares through the [Fe{(HB(pz)3)}(CN)3]− metalloligand

A new series of cyanido-bridged {FeIII2LnIII2} heterobimetallic molecular squares [Ln = La (1), Gd (2), Tb (3) and Dy (4)] has been prepared and magneto-structurally investigated.

High pressure induced charge transfer in 3d–4f bimetallic photomagnetic materials

A non-hydrostatic pressure induces ligand to metal charge transfer on the iron site of a 3d–4f photomagnetic material.

Cyano-bridged terbium(III)-chromium(III) bimetallic quasi-one-dimensional assembly exhibiting long-range magnetic ordering

A new cyano-bridged Tb(III)-Cr(III) heterometallic complex [Tb(H(2)O)(2)(DMF)(4){Cr(CN)(6)}]·H(2)O (DMF = dimethylformamide) (1), assembled from paramagnetic hexacyanochromium(III) [Cr(CN)(6)](3-) building block and highly anisotropic terbium(III) ion has been prepared and structurally and magnetically characterized. Complex 1 shows one-dimensional (1D) zig-zag chain-like structural motif which is further extended into three-dimensional network through hydrogen-bonding interactions. The long-range magnetic ordering observed in complex 1, which is possibly due to interchain magnetic dipolar interactions, illuminates that this complex is a molecule-based magnet with critical temperature of about 5 K. This higher critical temperature among those of Ln(III)-Cr(III) heterometallic complexes exhibiting long-range magnetic ordering is probably due to the introduction of highly anisotropic terbium(III) ion.