Coordination Cluster Nuclearity Decreases with Decreasing Rare Earth Ionic Radius in 1:1 Cr/Ln N-Butyldiethanolamine Compounds: A Journey across the Lanthanide Series from Cr4IIILa4–Cr4IIITb4 via Cr3IIIDy3 and Cr3IIIHo3 to Cr2IIIEr2–Cr2IIILu2

Visual and Real-Time Monitoring of Cd2+ in Water, Rice, and Rice Soil with Test Paper Based on [2 + 2] Lanthanide Clusters

Cadmium ions (Cd²⁺) are highly toxic to animal and human health, especially through the drinking of Cd²⁺-contaminated water and eating Cd²⁺-contaminated rice. Therefore, accurate detection of Cd²⁺ in water, rice, and rice soil is urgent. In this work, two [2 + 2] lanthanide clusters of Tb₂Tb₂ and Eu₂Eu₂ were synthesized and characterized in detail. Interestingly, Tb2Tb2 is a rapid sensor for Cd²⁺ through luminescence "turn-off". Further studies show that Tb2Tb2 is a highly sensitive and selective sensor toward Cd²⁺ in water, rice supernatants, and rice soil supernatants, with a very short response time of 20 s. The limit of detection (LOD) in the above three real samples is as low as 0.0112, 1.1240, and 0.1124 ppb, respectively, which is lower than the national standards for food safety in China (GB 2762-2022). More interestingly, a portable sensing device of test paper based on Tb2Tb2 is developed with a facile method, which shows visible, highly sensitive, and selective sensing toward Cd²⁺ in real samples of water, rice supernatants, and rice soil supernatants. Tb2Tb2 and its sensing device of test paper are an on-site analysis sensor for potentially non-expert users, especially for people in remote rural areas.

{ScnGdn} Heterometallic Rings: Tunable Ring Topology for Spin-Wave Excitations

Data carriers using spin waves in spintronic and magnonic logic devices offer operation at low power consumption and free of Joule heating yet requiring noncollinear spin structures of small sizes. Heterometallic rings can provide such an opportunity due to the controlled spin-wave transmission within such a confined space. Here, we present a series of {Sc_nGd_n} (n = 4, 6, 8) heterometallic rings, which are the first Sc-Ln clusters to date, with tunable magnetic interactions for spin-wave excitations. By means of time- and temperature-dependent spin dynamics simulations, we are able to predict distinct spin-wave excitations at finite temperatures for Sc₄Gd₄, Sc₆Gd₆, and Sc₈Gd₈. Such a new model is previously unexploited, especially due to the interplay of antiferromagnetic exchange, dipole-dipole interaction, and ring topology at low temperatures, rendering the importance of the latter to spin-wave excitations.

Synthesis, structural characterization, and magnetic property study of {Cr3Ln3}, Ln = Gd and Dy complexes

We have successfully prepared and structurally characterized triangle-in-triangle {Cr₃Ln₃} complexes with Ln = Gd and Dy employing alcohol-amine, N-methyldiethanolamine (H₂mdea) and pivalate ligands. These complexes and the Yttrium analogue proved to be isostructural and crystallized in a P₁ triclinic cell. DC and AC magnetic measurements were carried out and supported by quantum computations at DFT and CASSCF levels. DC magnetic data are dominated by the Cr(III)-Ln(III) antiferromagnetic interaction and by single-ion anisotropy in the case of the Dy(III) complex. Ln(III)-Ln(III) magnetic interactions are negligible, as well as Cr(III)-Cr(III) ones. From AC data, slow relaxation of the magnetization is observed at 0 DC applied magnetic field in the case of the Dy(III) complex below 4 K. From temperature and field dependence data, possible Raman and Orbach relaxation mechanisms are established in the absence of quantum tunnelling pathways, suggesting a successful suppression of the latter due to the Cr(III)-Dy(III) exchange interaction.

The structural manipulation of a series of Ni4 defective dicubanes: Synthesis, X-ray Structures, Magnetic and Computational analyses

We report the synthesis and characterization of four new tetranuclear Ni(ii) complexes, C1-C4, all of which exhibit defective dicubane cores. C1-C4 are derived from the same salicylaldoxime derived ligand, H2L1. Complexes C1 and C4 have isostructural cores, differing in structure only by solvate molecules. Magnetic and computational analyses have revealed that complexes C1, C2, and C4 exhibit competing ferro- and antiferromagnetic interactions, however the different solvated species in C1 and C4 leads to notably different magnitudes in their magnetic coupling constants. Theoretical magneto-structural studies show that the pairwise magnetic exchange interaction is highly dependent on the Ni-X-Ni angle, as revealed by orbital overlap calculations.

Synthesis, crystal structures and magnetic properties of two heterometallic {Ln8Cr4} (Ln = Gd3+ and Tb3+) complexes with one-dimensional wave chain structure

Two isomorphic heterometallic 3d-4f cluster-based materials, formulated [Gd8Cr4(IN)18(μ3-O)2(μ3-OH)6(μ4-O)4(H2O)10]·13H2O (1) and [Tb8Cr4(IN)18(μ3-O)2(μ3-OH)6(μ4-O)4(H2O)10]·13H2O (2) (abbreviation: {Ln8Cr4}: Ln = Gd3+ (1); Tb3+ (2); HIN = isonicotinic acid), were achieved by hydro-/solvothermal method through using the ligand HIN. X-ray diffraction analysis illustrates eight lanthanide ions (Ln = Gd3+, Tb3+) and four transition-metal ions (Cr3+) of {Ln8Cr4} were constructed from two classical "drum-like" {Ln4Cr2} structures associated by organic ligands HIN, displaying a one-dimensional wave chain structure, which is rare. The magnetic properties of {Gd8Cr4} were inspected and showed the existence of antiferromagnetic coupling interactions between contiguous metal ions. On top of this, the magnetic entropy change of ΔS m can attain 23.40 J kg-1 K-1 (44.90 mJ cm-3 K-1) at about 3 K and ΔH = 7 T. Besides, fluorescence measurements of {Tb8Cr4} display typical characteristic Tb-based luminescence.

Investigating the effect of lanthanide radius and diamagnetic linkers on the framework of metallacrown complexes

By changing the stoichiometric ratios, the one-pot reaction of the glycinehydroxamic acid (H2glyha) ligand with copper(ii) and lanthanide(iii) salts in the presence of diamagnetic [Na2{Fe(CN)5(NO)}] led to two series of isostructural complexes, which can be designated as heterotrimetallic dimeric clusters [{LnCu5(glyha)5}{Fe(CN)5(NO)}(H2O)4]2·xNO3·yH2O (x = 2, y = 11 for La (1), x = 2, y = 11 for Pr (2), and x = 2, y = 11 for Nd (3)) and heterotetrametallic coordination polymers [Na{LnCu5(glyha)5}{Fe(CN)5(NO)}2(H2O)x·yH2O]n (x = 6, y = 4 for Sm (4), x = 6, y = 0 for Gd (5), x = 6, y = 4 for Tb (6), x = 5, y = 5 Dy (7), and x = 6, y = 4 for Ho (8)). Each molecular structure contains LnIII[15-metallacrown-5] nodes and diamagnetic [Fe(CN)5(NO)]2- linkers. The resulting products demonstrate diversified structural frameworks due to the radius effect of LnIII ions and different bridging fashions of diamagnetic [Fe(CN)5(NO)]2- linkers. An analysis of magnetic susceptibilities reveals that 7 exhibits ferromagnetic coupling between CuII and DyIII ions and field-induced SMM behavior.

Key Strategy for the Rational Incorporation of Long-Lived NIR Emissive Cr(III) Chromophores into Polymetallic Architectures

The Cr^IIIN₆ chromophores are particularly appealing for low-energy sensitization via energy transfer processes since they show extremely long excited state lifetimes reaching the millisecond range in the technologically crucial near-infrared domain. However, their properties were barely harnessed in multimetallic structures because of the lack of both monitoring methods and accessible synthetic pathways. We herein report a remedy to monitor and control the formation of Cr^III-containing assemblies in solution via the design of a Cr^IIIN₆ inert "complex-as-ligand" that can be included into polymetallic architectures. As a proof of concept, these CrN₆ building blocks were reacted in solution with Zn^II or Fe^II to give extended trinuclear linear Cr-M-Cr assemblies, the structure of which could be addressed by NMR spectroscopy despite the presence of two slowly relaxing Cr^III paramagnetic centers. In addition to long Cr^III excited state lifetimes and weak sensitivity to oxygen quenching, these polymetallic assemblies display controlled Cr^III to M^II energy transfers, which pave the way for use of the "complex-as-ligand" strategy for introducing photophysically active Cr^III probes into light-converting polymetallic devices.

Heterometallic grids: synthetic strategies and recent advances

Supramolecular metallogrid complexes are metalloclusters involving metal ions in planar array arrangements and organic ligands in perpendicular arrangements at each corner of the metal sites. Such essentially metal ion arrays have attracted great attention in the last three decades owing to their variety of interesting optical, electronic and magnetic properties. Among them, metallogrids containing more than one type of metal, that is heterometallic grids, are rare but have more potential to engineer a higher level functionality into one molecule. However, until now, only dozens of heterometallic grids have been reported without any specific review. Herein, we aim to give an overview of the assembly strategies, the physicochemical properties, and finally some perspectives on the future development of heterometallic grids.

Incorporating polyoxometalates and organic ligands to pursue 3d–4f heterometallic clusters: a series of {Cr4Ln4} clusters stabilized by phthalic acid and [SiW12O40]4−

By introduction of trilacunary Keggin-type polyoxometalate to the hydrothermal reaction system of Cr³⁺, Ln³⁺ and phthalic acid, a series of novel {Cr₄Ln₄} heterometallic clusters with the formula Cs₂[Cr₄Ln₄(μ₄-O)₄(μ₃-O)₄(C₈H₄O₄)₄(H₂O)₁₂](H₃SiW₁₂O₄₀)Cl·23H₂O (1-Ln, Ln = Ce, Pr, Nd) and [Cr₄Ln₄(μ₄-O)₄(μ₃-O)₄(C₈H₄O₄)₄(H₂O)₁₀](H₆SiW₁₂O₄₀)Cl₂·18H₂O (2-Ln, Ln = Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er) have been obtained. Single-crystal structural analyses show that 1-Ln and 2-Ln constitute the first cases of Cr–Ln heterometallic clusters stabilized by inorganic polyoxometalate anions and organic ligands. Optical spectra studies demonstrate that 1-Ln and 2-Ln are narrow-gap semiconductors with band gaps of about 1.5 eV. Magnetic investigation shows that compound 2-Dy is a potential single molecule magnet.

By introduction of trilacunary Keggin-type polyoxometalate to the hydrothermal reaction system of Cr³⁺, Ln³⁺ and phthalic acid, a series of novel {Cr₄Ln₄} heterometallic clusters have been obtained.

Targeted replacement: systematic studies of dodecanuclear {MLn} coordination clusters (M = Cr, Co; Ln = Dy, Y)

Three dodecanuclear 3d-4f coordination clusters, [CrIII6LnIII6(μ3-OH)8(tbdea)6(C6H5COO)16]·2H2O (Ln = Dy (1), Y (2)) and [CoIII6DyIII6(μ3-OH)8(nbdea)6(m-CH3C6H4COO)16]·2H2O·2CH3CN (3), have been synthesized under solvothermal conditions and characterized. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis revealed that all three compounds possess an analogous {MIII6LnIII6} core (M = Cr, Co; Ln = Dy, Y) and dc magnetic susceptibility studies indicated that the magnetic exchange couplings between DyIII ions are dominant antiferromagnetic, while the CrIII-DyIII interactions are weakly ferromagnetic. Furthermore, the ac magnetic susceptibility measurements showed that both CrIII6DyIII6 compound 1 and CoIIi6DyIII6 compound 3 containing highly anisotropic DyIII ions displayed single-molecule magnetic (SMM) behavior with the energy barrier Ueff increasing from 12.8 K (for 1) to 20.8 K (for 3), indicating that weak 3d-4f exchange couplings enhance the QTM and reduce the energy barrier.

Effect of ligand substitution on the SMM properties of three isostructural families of double-cubane Mn4Ln2 coordination clusters

Three isostructural Mn–Ln families consists of 22 complexes have been presented. Only 7, 15, and 22 for Tb, 8 and 16 for Dy, and 20 for Sm displayed slow magnetization relaxation.

The remarkable influence of N,O-ligands in the assembly of a bis-calix[4]arene-supported [MnIV2MnIII10MnII8] cluster

Bis-calix[4]arene is a highly versatile ligand that is capable of forming a range of polymetallic clusters. Use of an N,O-chelating co-ligand affords a very high nuclearity mixed-valence Mn cluster (shown here) that displays coordination modes relative to each ligand type.

Constructing supramolecular grids: from 4f square to 3d–4f grid

Novel supramolecular 4f and 3d–4f grids were constructed using dihydrazone based ligands, where the 3d–4f grid represents the first example of this type and shows SMM behavior.