Slow relaxation of Dy(III) single-ion magnets dominated by the simultaneous binding of chelating ligands in low-symmetry ligand-fields

A heptanuclear {Dy2Cu5} complex as a single-molecule magnet

The structure and magnetic properties of a complex containing a {Dy2Cu5} core are presented. In 1, the Dy(III) are 9- and the Cu(II) are 4-, 5- and 6-coordinated. Antiferromagnetic interactions cause an irregular energy spectrum with the ground state J = 25/2. The complex is a single molecule magnet exhibiting slow magnetic relaxation in zero magnetic field.

Alkali metal-linked triangular building blocks assemble a high-nucleation lanthanoid cluster based on single-molecule magnets

The metallic central magnetic axes in high-nucleation clusters with complex structural connections tend to be disorganized and cancel each other out. Therefore, high-nucleation clusters cannot easily exhibit single-molecule magnets (SMMs) behaviors. Herein, we select a triple-core building block (Dy₃K₂, 1) and use linked diamagnetic alkali metal to form an open, spherical, high-nucleation cluster Dy₁₂Na₆ (3) with SMM behavior. Furthermore, by changing the reaction conditions, Dy₆K₂ (2) formed by linking two Dy₃ by K(I) is obtained. High-resolution electrospray mass spectrometry of clusters 1–3 effectively captures the building block Dy₃, and clusters 1 and 3 and Dy₃ have high stability even with the increase in ion source energy. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that an SMM based on a high-nucleation cluster has been obtained by connecting magnetic primitives via diamagnetic metal ions. Dy₁₂K₆ is currently the highest nuclear ns-4f heterometallic SMM.

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We synthesized ns-4f cluster-based SMM by using diamagnetic alkali metal connection

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Clusters 1–3 are rare examples of ns-4f heterometallic clusters

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Dy₁₂K₆ is currently the highest nuclear ns-4f heterometallic SMM

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HRESI-MS is used to explore the formation of ns-4f high-nucleation clusters