Precursor molecules for 1,2-diamidobenzene containing cobalt(II), nickel(II) and zinc(II) complexes - synthesis and magnetic properties

Molecular magnetic materials based on 1,2-diamidobenzenes are well known and have been intensively studied both experimentally and computationally. They possess interesting magnetic properties as well as redox activity. In this work, we present the synthesis and investigation of potent synthons for constructing discrete metal-organic architectures featuring 1,2-diamidobenzene-coordinated metal centres. The synthons feature weakly bound dimethoxyethane (dme) ligands in addition to the 1,2-diamidobenzene. We characterize these complexes and investigate their magnetic properties by means of static and dynamic magnetometry and high-field electron paramagnetic resonance (HFEPR). Interestingly, the magnetic and magnetic resonance data strongly suggest a dimeric formulation of these complexes, viz. [MII(bmsab)(dme)]2 (bmsab = 1,2-bis(methanesulfonamido)benzene; dme = dimethoxyethane) with M = Co, Ni, Zn. A large negative D-value of -60 cm-1 was found for the Co(II) synthon and an equally large negative D of -50 cm-1 for the Ni(II) synthon. For Co(II), the sign of the D-value is the same as that found for the known bis-diamidobenzene complexes of this ion. In contrast, the negative D-value for the Ni(II) complex is unexpected, which we explain in terms of a change in coordination number. The heteroleptic Co(II) complex presented here does not feature slow relaxation of the magnetization, in contrast to the homoleptic Co(II) 1,2-diamidobenzene complex.

Binuclear cobalt(II) and two-dimensional manganese(II) coordination compounds self-assembled by mixed bipyridine-tetracarboxylic ligands with single-ion magnet properties

A cobalt(II) complex and manganese(II) coordination polymer, formulated as [Co2(H2btca)(mbpy)4][H2btca]·4H2O (1) and {Mn2(btca)(mbpy)2(H2O)2}n (2) (H4btca = 1,2,4,5-benzenetetracarboxylic acid; mbpy = 4,4'-dimethyl-2,2'-bipyridyl), constructed by mixed bipyridine-tetracarboxylic ligands were synthesized and characterized. Single-crystal structural analyses reveal that compound 1 is a discrete neutral binuclear molecule, while compound 2 is a two-dimensional (2D) coordination polymer. The metal ions in these compounds are well isolated, with an intramolecular Co2+⋯Co2+ distance of 9.170 Å for 1 and Mn2+⋯Mn2+ separation of 10.984 and 11.164 Å for 2 due to the bulk tetracarboxylic linker. This isolation gives rise to a single-ion magnetism origin of the compounds. Magnetic studies reveal a large zero-field splitting parameter D of 82.6 cm-1 for 1, while a very small D of 0.42 cm-1 was observed for 2. Interestingly, dynamic ac magnetic measurements exhibited slow magnetic relaxation under the external dc field of the two compounds, revealing the field-supported single-ion magnet (SIM) of 1 and 2. The detailed theoretical calculations were further applied to understand the electronic structures, magnetic anisotropy, and relaxation dynamics in 1 and 2. Combined with our recently reported compound (Eur. J. Inorg. Chem., 2022, e202200354), the foregoing results provide not only a rare binuclear cobalt(II) SIM and the first 2D manganese(II) SIM coordination polymer but also a bipyridine-tetracarboxylic ligand approach toward novel SIMs.

Field induced single ion magnet behavior in CoII complexes in a distorted square pyramidal geometry

We report three CoII-based complexes with the general formula [CoII(L)(X)2] by changing the halide/pseudo-halide ions [X = NCSe (1SeCN); Cl (2Cl) and Br (3Br)]. The obtained τ5 and CShM values confirm a distorted square pyramidal geometry around the CoII ion in all these complexes. In these three complexes, the central CoII ion is situated above the basal plane of the square pyramidal geometry. The extent of distortion from the ideal SPY-5 geometry differs upon changing the coordinating halide/pseudo-halide ion in these complexes. This essentially results in the alteration of the anisotropic parameter D and hence impacts the magnetic properties in these complexes. This phenomenon has been corroborated with the aid of theoretical investigations. All these complexes display field-induced SIM behaviour with magnetic relaxation occurring through a combination of processes depending on the applied dc magnetic field values and dilution.