Single molecule magnet behaviour in a square planar S = 1/2 Co(ii) complex and spin-state assignment of multiple relaxation modes

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.

Ultrafast Jahn-Teller Photoswitching in Cobalt Single-Ion Magnets

Single-ion magnets (SIMs) constitute the ultimate size limit in the quest for miniaturizing magnetic materials. Several bottlenecks currently hindering breakthroughs in quantum information and communication technologies could be alleviated by new generations of SIMs displaying multifunctionality. Here, ultrafast optical absorption spectroscopy and X-ray emission spectroscopy are employed to track the photoinduced spin-state switching of the prototypical complex [Co(terpy)2 ]2+ (terpy = 2,2':6',2″-terpyridine) in solution phase. The combined measurements and their analysis supported by density functional theory (DFT), time-dependent-DFT (TD-DFT) and multireference quantum chemistry calculations reveal that the complex undergoes a spin-state transition from a tetragonally elongated doublet state to a tetragonally compressed quartet state on the femtosecond timescale, i.e., it sustains ultrafast Jahn-Teller (JT) photoswitching between two different spin multiplicities. Adding new Co-based complexes as possible contenders in the search for JT photoswitching SIMs will greatly widen the possibilities for implementing magnetic multifunctionality and eventually controlling ultrafast magnetization with optical photons.

Slow magnetic relaxation of a S = 1/2 copper(II)-substituted Keggin-type silicotungstate

This is the first report on slow magnetic relaxation in an S = 1/2 system based on a first-row transition metal ion with the polyoxometalate skeleton [(n-C₄H₉)₄N]₄H₂[SiW₁₁O₃₉Cu] (1). The X-band electron-spin-resonance spectrum of 1 measured at room temperature indicates that the copper ion experiences significantly reduced intermolecular interactions compared to the potassium salt and that it adopts a five-coordinated square-pyramidal coordination geometry. The AC magnetic-susceptibility measurements revealed that 1 undergoes slow magnetic relaxation in an applied static magnetic field (H_dc). The extracted spin-lattice relaxation time (92 ms at 1.8 K and H_dc = 5000 Oe) for 5% magnetically diluted 1, [(n-C₄H₉)₄N]₄H₂[SiW₁₁O₃₉Cu_0.05Zn_0.95] (dil.1), is comparable to those of other potential S = 1/2 spin qubits. A relaxation-time analysis indicated that Raman spin-lattice relaxation dominates even at low temperatures in an optimized field. The extracted Raman exponent (n = 2.30) is smaller than those of other S = 1/2 complexes that carry organic ligands, which implies that the decrease in relaxation time at higher temperatures is likely to be moderate.

Effect of Ligand Chain Length for Tuning of Molecular Dimensionality and Magnetic Relaxation in Redox Active Cobalt(II) EDOT Complexes (EDOT = 3,4-Ethylenedioxythiophene)

Four cobalt(II) complexes, [Co(L1)2(NCX)2(MeOH)2] (X = S (1), Se (2)) and {[Co(L2)2(NCX)2]}n (X = S (3), Se (4)) (L1 = 2,5dipyridyl-3,4,-ethylenedioxylthiophene and L2 = 2,5diethynylpyridinyl-3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene), were synthesized by incorporating ethylenedioxythiophene based redox-active luminescence ligands. All these complexes have been well characterized using single-crystal X-ray diffraction analyses, spectroscopic and magnetic investigations. Magneto-structural studies showed that 1 and 2 adopt a mononuclear structure with CoN4O2 octahedral coordination geometry while 3 and 4 have a 2D [4 x 4] rhombic grid coordination networks (CNs) where each cobalt(II) center is in a CoN6 octahedral coordination environment. Static magnetic measurements reveal that all four complexes displayed a high spin (HS) (S = 3/2) state between 2 and 280 K which was further confirmed by X-band and Q-band EPR studies. Remarkably, along with the molecular dimensionality (0D and 2D) the modification in the axial coligands lead to a significant difference in the dynamic magnetic properties of the monomers and CNs at low temperatures. All complexes display slow magnetic relaxation behavior under an external dc magnetic field. For the complexes with NCS- as coligand observed higher energy barrier for spin reversal in comparison to the complexes with NCSe- as coligand, while mononuclear complex 1 exhibited a higher energy barrier than that of CN 3. Theoretical calculations at the DFT and CASSCF level of theory have been performed to get more insight into the electronic structure and magnetic properties of all four complexes.

Slow magnetic relaxation and spin crossover behavior in two mixed-valence Co(ii)/Co(iii) complexes

Two mixed-valence Co(ii)/Co(iii) complexes of [CoII(phen)3][CoIII(HATD)2]2·3DMA·3.5H2O (1) with field induced single-molecule magnet behavior, and [CoII(terpy)2][CoIII(HATD)2]2·4DMA·H2O (2) with a gradual thermal spin crossover (SCO).

Modulation of the magnetic dynamics of pentagonal-bipyramidal Co(ii) complexes by fine-tuning the coordination microenvironment

Dynamic magnetic behaviours of a series of Co(ii) SIMs with pentagonal-bipyramidal geometry have been modulated by an alteration of the ligand field effect.

Role of Coordination Geometry on the Magnetic Relaxation Dynamics of Isomeric Five-Coordinate Low-Spin Co(II) Complexes

To investigate the influence of the coordination geometry on the magnetization relaxation dynamics, two geometric isomers of a five-coordinate low-spin Co(II) complex with the general molecular formula [Co(DPPE)₂Cl]SnCl₃ (DPPE = diphenylphosphinoethane) were synthesized and structurally characterized. While one isomer has a square pyramidal geometry (Co-SP (1)), the other isomer figures a trigonal bipyramidal geometry (Co-TBP (2)). Both complexes were already reported elsewhere. The spin state of these complexes is unambiguously determined by detailed direct current (dc) magnetic data, X-band, and high-frequency EPR measurements. Slow relaxation of magnetization is commonly observed for systems with S > 1/2. However, both 1 and 2 show field-induced slow relaxation of magnetization. Especially 1 shows relaxation times up to τ = 35 ms at T = 1.8 K, which is much longer than the reported values for undiluted Co(II) low-spin monomers. In 2, the maximal field-induced relaxation time is suppressed to τ = 5 ms. We attribute this to the change in g-anisotropy, which is, in turn, correlated to the spatial arrangement of ligands (i.e., coordination geometry) around the Co(II) ions. Besides the detailed electronic structure of these complexes, the experimental observations are further corroborated by theoretical calculations.

A multifunctional magnetic material based on a solid solution of Fe(ii)/Co(ii) complexes with a macrocyclic cyclam-based ligand

In order to prepare a multifunctional magnetic material combining spin crossover together with single-molecular magnetism, co-crystallization of Fe(ii) and Co(ii) complexes of the pyridine derivative of cyclam (Py₂-C = 1,8-bis(pyridin-2-ylmethyl)-1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetradecane) was performed. Complexes with the general formula [M^II(Py₂-C)](ClO₄)₂·H₂O (M^II = Fe (1), Co (2) or Fe_0.4Co_0.6 (3)) were prepared and thoroughly characterized. Based on X-ray molecular structures, they formed octahedral complexes with cis-arrangement of the coordinated pyridine moieties. Magnetic data revealed that the Fe(ii) complex 1 shows complete SCO with the transition temperature T_1/2 = 141 K, which is preserved also in the mixed Fe/Co system 3 (T_1/2 = 128 K). Co(ii) complex 2 behaves as a field-induced single-molecule magnet as well as the mixed system 3 with a direct and phonon bottleneck relaxation process, respectively. This is the first example of such Fe/Co solid solution providing SCO in combination with field-induced SMM properties. Unfortunately, the light-induced excited spin-state trapping (LIESST) effect was not observed either for the Fe(ii) complex 1 or the mixed system 3 and thus, the effect of SCO on SMM properties at low temperature could not be investigated in detail. Nevertheless, the obtained results clearly document the success of the solid solution methodology for the preparation of multifunctional magnetic materials.

Field supported slow magnetic relaxation in a quasi-one-dimensional copper(ii) complex with a pentaheterocyclic triphenodioxazine

A new copper(ii) complex (I) was obtained by the reaction of a sterically crowded 2,4-di-(tert-butyl)-9-chloro-benzo[5,6][1,4]oxazine[2,3-b]phenoxazine bridging ligand with Cu(ii) hexafluoroacetylacetonate.

Heterometallic {DyIII2FeII2} grids with slow magnetic relaxation and spin crossover

The self-assembly of a Dy^III ion, an Fe^II ion and a multitopic H₂L ligand produces novel [2 × 2] {DyIII2FeII2} grids exhibiting slow magnetic relaxation and spin crossover.