Anionic guest-dependent slow magnetic relaxation in Co(ii) tripodal iminopyridine complexes

Control of the geometry and anisotropy driven by the combination of steric and anion coordination effects in CoII complexes with N6-tripodal ligands: the impact of the size of the ligand on the magnetization relaxation time

Four mononuclear CoII complexes of formula [Co(L)(SCN)2(CH3OH)0.5(H2O)0.5]·1.5H2O·0.75CH3OH (1), [Co(L1)Cl2]·H2O·2CH3CN (2), [Co(L1)(SCN)2]·1.5H2O·CH3OH (3) and [Co(L1)]ClO4·2CH3OH (4) were prepared from the N6-tripodal Schiff base ligands (S)P[N(Me)NC(H)2-Q]3 (L) and (S)P[N(Me)NC(H)1-ISOQ]3 (L1), where Q and ISOQ represent quinolyl and isoquinolyl moieties, respectively. In 1, the L ligand does not coordinate to the CoII ion in a tripodal manner but using a new N,N,S tridentate mode, which is due to the fact that the N6-tripodal coordination promotes a strong steric hindrance between the quinolyl moieties. However, L1 can coordinate to the CoII ions either in a tripodal manner using CoII salts with poorly coordinating anions to give 4 or in a bisbidentate fashion using CoII salt-containing medium to strongly coordinating anions to afford 2 and 3. In the case of L1, there is no steric hindrance between ISOQ moieties after coordination to the CoII ion. The CoII ion exhibits a distorted octahedral geometry for compounds 1-3, with the anions in cis positions for the former and in trans positions for the two latter compounds. Compound 4 shows an intermediate geometry between an octahedral and trigonal prism but closer to the latter one. DC magnetic properties, HFEPR and FIRMS measurements and ab initio calculations demonstrate that distorted octahedral complexes 1-3 exhibit easy-plane magnetic anisotropy (D > 0), whereas compound 4 shows large easy-axis magnetic anisotropy (D < 0). Comparative analysis of the magneto-structural data underlines the important role that is played not only by the coordination geometry but also the electronic effects in determining the anisotropy of the CoII ions. Compounds 2-3 show a field-induced slow relaxation of magnetization. Despite its large easy-axis magnetic anisotropy, compound 4 does not show significant slow relaxation (SMR) above 2 K under zero applied magnetic fields, but its magnetic dilution with ZnII triggers SMR at zero field. Finally, it is worth remarking that compounds 2-4 show smaller relaxation times than the analogous complexes with the tripodal ligand bearing in its arms pyridine instead of isoquinoline moieties, which is most likely due to the increase of the molecular size in the former one.

Zero-Field SMM Behavior Triggered by Magnetic Exchange Interactions and a Collinear Arrangement of Local Anisotropy Axes in a Linear Co3II Complex

A new linear trinuclear Co(II)3 complex with a formula of [{Co(μ-L)}2Co] has been prepared by self-assembly of Co(II) ions and the N3O3-tripodal Schiff base ligand H3L, which is obtained from the condensation of 1,1,1-tris(aminomethyl)ethane and salicylaldehyde. Single X-ray diffraction shows that this compound is centrosymmetric with triple-phenolate bridging groups connecting neighboring Co(II) ions, leading to a paddle-wheel-like structure with a pseudo-C3 axis lying in the Co-Co-Co direction. The Co(II) ions at both ends of the Co(II)3 molecule exhibit distorted trigonal prismatic CoN3O3 geometry, whereas the Co(II) at the middle presents an elongated trigonal antiprismatic CoO6 geometry. The combined analysis of the magnetic data and theoretical calculations reveal strong easy-axis magnetic anisotropy for both types of Co(II) ions (|D| values higher than 115 cm-1) with the local anisotropic axes lying on the pseudo-C3 axis of the molecule. The magnetic exchange interaction between the middle and ends Co(II) ions, extracted by using either a Hamiltonian accounting for the isotropic magnetic coupling and ZFS or the Lines' model, was found to be medium to strong and antiferromagnetic in nature, whereas the interaction between the external Co(II) ions is weak antiferromagnetic. Interestingly, the compound exhibits slow relaxation of magnetization and open hysteresis at zero field and therefore SMM behavior. The significant magnetic exchange coupling found for [{Co(μ-L)}2Co] is mainly responsible for the quenching of QTM, which combined with the easy-axis local anisotropy of the CoII ions and the collinearity of their local anisotropy axes with the pseudo-C3 axis favors the observation of SMM behavior at zero field.

Slow magnetic relaxation in 8-coordinate Mn(II) compounds

The design and synthesis of high-spin Mn(II)-based single-molecule magnets (SMMs) have not been well developed to a great extent, as compared with a large number of SMMs based on the other first row transition metal complexes. In light of our success in designing Fe(II), Co(II) and Fe(III)-based SMMs with a high coordination number of 8, it is of great interest to design Mn(II) analogues with such a strategy. In this contribution, four Mn(II) compounds, [MnII(Ln)2](ClO4)2 (1-4) were obtained from reactions of neutral tetradentate ligands, L1-L4, with hydrated MnII(ClO4)2 (L1 = 2,9-bis(carbomethoxy)-1,10-phenanthroline, L2 = 2,9-bis(carbomethoxy)-2,2'-dipyridine, L3 = N2,N9-dibutyl-1,10-phenanthroline-2,9-dicarboxamide, L4 = 6,6'-bis(2-(tert-butyl)-2H-tetrazol-5-yl)-2,2'-bipyridine). Their crystal structures have been determined by X-ray crystallography and it clearly shows that the Mn(II) centers in these compounds have an oversaturated coordination number of 8. Their magnetic properties have been investigated in detail; to our surprise, all of these Mn(II) compounds show interesting slow magnetic relaxation behaviors under an applied direct current field, although they have very small negative D values.

Pushing up the easy-axis magnetic anisotropy and relaxation times in trigonal prismatic CoII mononuclear SMMs by molecular structure design

The replacement of pyridine by 1-methyl-imidazol in the arms of a N₆-tripodal ligand allows preparing two new Co^II complexes with quasi-ideal triangular prismatic geometry, which behave as SIMs (Single Ion Magnets) at zero dc field with enhanced axial magnetic anisotropy, magnetic relaxation times and magnetic hysteresis.

Large easy-axis magnetic anisotropy in a series of trigonal prismatic mononuclear cobalt (II) complexes with zero-field hidden single-molecule magnet behaviour: The important role of the distortion of the coordination sphere and intermolecular interactions on the slow relaxation

The complexes [Co(L)]X·S (X = CoCl42- , S = CH3CN (1); X = ZnCl42- , S = CH3OH (2)), [Co(L)]X2·S (X = ClO4-, S = 2CH3OH (3) and X =...

Slow magnetic relaxation in high-coordinate Co(II) and Fe(II) compounds bearing neutral tetradentate ligands

The first-row transition metal compounds, [M^II(L1)₂](ClO₄)₂ (M = Ni (1); Co (2)), have been prepared by treatment of a neutral tetradentate ligand (L1 = N²,N⁹-dibutyl-1,10-phenanthroline-2,9-dicarboxamide) with metal perchlorate salts in MeOH. Both compounds have been structurally characterized by X-ray crystallography and it was found that the coordination numbers are 6 and 7, respectively. The reaction of 6,6'-bis(2-^tbutyl-tetrazol-5-yl)-2,2'-bipyridine (L2) with hydrated Fe^II(ClO₄)₂ afforded a 8-coordinate Fe(II) compound, [Fe^II(L2)₂](ClO₄)₂ (3); however its reaction with hydrated Co^II(ClO₄)₂ resulted in 6-coordinate [Co^II(L2)₂](ClO₄)₂. It is interesting to observe field-induced slow magnetic relaxation in the 7-coordinate Co(II) compound 2 and 8-coordinate Fe(II) compound 3, which further supports the validity of designing high coordination number compounds as single-molecule magnets. Direct current magnetic studies demonstrate that 2 has a very large positive D value (56.2 cm^-1) and a small E value (0.66 cm^-1), indicating easy plane magnetic anisotropy. Consistent with the larger D value, an effective spin-reversal barrier of U_eff = 100 K (71.4 cm^-1) is obtained, which is the highest value reported for 7-coordinate Co(II) complexes with a pentagonal bipyramidal geometry. In contrast, 8-coordinate Fe(II) compound 3 exhibits uniaxial magnetic anisotropy.

Co(II)-Based single-ion magnets with 1,1'-ferrocenediyl-bis(diphenylphosphine) metalloligands

Herein, we report on investigations of magnetic and spectroscopic properties of three heterobimetallic Fe(ii)-Co(ii) coordination compounds based on the tetracoordinate {CoP2X2} core encapsulated by dppf metalloligand, where X = Cl (1), Br (2), I (3), dppf = 1,1'-ferrocenediyl -bis(diphenylphosphine). The analysis of static magnetic data has revealed the presence of axial magnetic anisotropy in compounds (1) and (2) and this was further confirmed by high-frequency electron spin resonance (HF-ESR) spectroscopy. Dynamic magnetic data confirmed that (1) and (2) behave as field-induced Single-Ion Magnets (SIMs). Together with bulk studies, we have also tested the possibility of depositing (2) as thick films on Au(111), glass, and polymeric acetate by drop-casting as well as thermal sublimation, a key aspect for the development of future devices embedding these magnetic objects.

A capped trigonal prismatic cobalt(ii) complex as a structural archetype for single-ion magnets

Mononuclear, seven-coordinate complex [Co^II(BPA-TPA)](BF₄)₂ (BPA-TPA = pentapyidyldiamine) display field-induce slow magnetic relaxation, thereby presenting the first report of SIMs based on 3d metal ions with a capped trigonal prismatic geometry.

Structure, magnetic anisotropy and relaxation behavior of seven-coordinate Co(ii) single-ion magnets perturbed by counter-anions

A series of mononuclear seven-coordinate complexes with the same coordination unit [Co(BPA-TPA)]²⁺ (BPA-TPA = pentapyidyldiamine) display the different slow magnetic relaxation processes perturbed by the variation of the counter anions.