Spin Frustration in Organic Radicals

Spin frustration, which results from geometric frustration and a systematical inability to satisfy all antiferromagnetic (AF) interactions between unpaired spins simultaneously, is under the spotlight for its importance in physics and materials science. Spin frustration is treated as the structural basis of quantum spin liquids (QSLs). Featuring flexible chemical structures, organic radical species exhibit great potential in building spin-frustrated molecules and lattices. So far, the reported examples of spin-frustrated organic radical compounds include triradicals, tetrathiafulvalene (TTF) radicals and derivatives, [Pd(dmit)2 ] compounds (dmit=1,3-dithiol-2-thione-4,5-dithiolate), nitronyl nitroxides, fullerenes, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and other heterocyclic compounds where the spin frustration is generated intra- or intermolecularly. In this Minireview, we provide a brief summary of the reported radical compounds that possess spin frustration. The related data, including magnetic exchange coupling parameters, spin models, frustration parameters, and crystal lattices, are summarized and discussed.

Synthesis, Structure, and Properties of the Fullerene C60 Salt of Crystal Violet, (CV(+) )(C60 (.-) )⋅0.5 C6 H4 Cl2 , which Contained Closely Packed Zigzagged C60 (.-) Chains

The reduction of fullerene C60 by zinc dust in the presence of crystal violet cations (CV(+) ) yielded a deep-blue solution, from which crystals of (CV(+) )(C60 (.-) )⋅0.5 C6 H4 Cl2 (1) were obtained by slow mixing with n-hexane. The salt contained isolated, closely packed zigzagged chains that were composed of C60 (.-) radical anions with a uniform interfullerene center-to-center distance of 9.98 Å. In spite of the close proximity of the fullerenes, they did not dimerize, owing to spatial separation by the phenyl substituents of CV(+) . The room-temperature conductivity of compound 1 was 3×10(-2)  S cm(-1) along the fullerene chains. The salt exhibited semiconducting behavior, with an activation energy of Ea =167 meV. Spins localized on C60 (.-) were antiferromagnetically coupled within the fullerene chains, with a Weiss temperature of -19 K without long-range magnetic ordering down to 1.9 K.

Metallic and Mott insulating spin-frustrated antiferromagnetic states in ionic fullerene complexes with a two-dimensional hexagonal C60·- packing motif

(MDABCO(+))(C60(·-))(TPC) (1), in which MDABCO(+) is N-methyldiazabicyclooctanium, TPC is triptycene, and both have threefold symmetry, is a rare example of a fullerene-based quasi-2D metal and contains closely packed hexagonal fullerene layers with interfullerene center-to-center distances of 10.07 Å at 300 K. Evidence for the metallic nature of 1 was obtained by optical and microwave conductivity measurements on single crystals. The metal is characterized by a nontypical Drude response and relatively large optical mass (m*/m0 =6.7). The latter indicates a narrow-band nature, which is consistent with the calculated bandwidth of 0.10-0.15 eV. The coexistence of metallic and antiferromagnetic nonmetallic 2D layers was observed in 1 above 200-230 K. It was assumed that the nonmetallic layers undergo a transition to the metallic state below 200 K due to ordering of the fullerene and cationic sublattices. New layered complex (MQ(+))(C60(·-))(TPC) (2) with a hexagonal arrangement of C60(·-) was obtained by increasing the interfullerene distance with the bulkier N-methylquinuclidinium cations (MQ(+)) having threefold symmetry. The structure of 2 is characterized by increased interfullerene center-to-center distances in the layers (10.124, 10.155, and 10.177 Å at 250 K). Unit-cell doubling parallel to the 2D layer (along the b axis) was observed at low temperatures. In contrast to metallic 1, 2 exhibits a nonmetallic spin-frustrated state with an antiferromagnetic interaction of spins (the Weiss temperature is -27 K) and no magnetic ordering down to 1.9 K. It was supposed that the expanded interfullerene distances in the triangular arrangement decrease the bandwidth and suppress metallic conductivity in 2, and thus a Mott-Hubbard insulating state with antiferromagnetically frustrated spins results.

Strong antiferromagnetic coupling of spins in the (MDABCO+)(C60·-) salt with 3D close packing of the C60·- radical anions (MDABCO+: N-methyldiazabicyclooctanium cation)

A new salt, (MDABCO(+))(C60(·-)) (1; MDABCO(+) = N-methyldiazabicyclooctanium cation), was obtained as single crystals. The crystal structure of 1 determined at 250 and 100 K showed 3D close packing of fullerenes with eight fullerene neighbors for each C60(·-). These neighbors are located at 10.01-10.11 Å center-to-center distances (250 K) and van der Waals interfullerene C⋅⋅⋅C contacts are formed with four fullerene neighbors arranged in the bc plane. Fullerene ordering observed below 160 K is accompanied by the appearance of one and a half independent C60(·-) and trebling of the unit cell along the b axis. Fullerenes are packed closer to each other at 100 K. As a result, fullerenes are located in the three-dimensional packing at 9.91-10.12 Å center-to-center distances and 18 short interfullerene C⋅⋅⋅C contacts are formed for each C60(·-). Although they are closed packed, fullerenes are not dimerized down to 1.9 K. Magnetic data indicate strong antiferromagnetic coupling of spins in the 70-300 K range with a Weiss temperature of Θ = -118 K. Magnetic susceptibility shows a round maximum at 46 K. Such behavior can be described well by the Heisenberg model for square two-dimensional antiferromagnetic coupling of spins with an exchange interaction of J/kB = -25.3 K. This magnetic coupling is one of the strongest observed for C60(·-) salts.