Strong Direct Magnetic Coupling in a Dinuclear Co(II) Tetrazine Radical Single-Molecule Magnet.

The ligand-centered radical complex [(CoTPMA)2 -µ-bmtz(.-) ](O3 SCF3 )3 ⋅CH3 CN (bmtz=3,6-bis(2'-pyrimidyl)-1,2,4,5-tetrazine, TPMA=tris-(2-pyridylmethyl)amine) has been synthesized from the neutral bmtz precursor. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies have confirmed the presence of the ligand-centered radical. The Co(II) complex exhibits slow paramagnetic relaxation in an applied DC field with a barrier to spin reversal of 39 K. This behavior is a result of strong antiferromagnetic metal-radical coupling combined with positive axial and strong rhombic anisotropic contributions from the Co(II) ions.

Single-ion anisotropy and exchange interactions in the cyano-bridged trimers MnIII2MIII(CN)6 (MIII = Co, Cr, Fe) species incorporating [Mn(5-Brsalen)]+ units: an inelastic neutron scattering and magnetic susceptibility study.

The electronic structures of the compounds K[(5-Brsalen)(2)(H(2)O)(2)-Mn(2)M(III)(CN)(6)].2H(2)O (M(III) = Co(III), Cr(III), Fe(III)) have been determined by inelastic neutron scattering (INS) and magnetic susceptibility studies, revealing the manganese(III) single-ion anisotropy and exchange interactions that define the low-lying states of the Mn-M(III)-Mn trimeric units. Despite the presence of an antiferromagnetic intertrimer interaction, the experimental evidence supports the classification of both the Cr(III) and Fe(III) compounds as single-molecule magnets. The value of 17(2) cm(-1) established from AC susceptibility measurements for a spin-reversal barrier of K[(5-Brsalen)(2)(H(2)O)(2)-Mn(2)Cr(CN)(6)].2H(2)O may be readily rationalized in terms of the energy level diagram determined directly by INS. AC susceptibility measurements on samples of K[(5-Brsalen)(2)(H(2)O)(2)-Mn(2)Fe(CN)(6)].2H(2)O are contrary to those previously reported, exhibiting but the onset of peaks below temperatures of 1.8 K at oscillating frequencies in the range of 100-800 Hz. INS measurements reveal an anisotropic ferromagnetic manganese(III)-iron(III) exchange interaction, in accordance with theoretical expectations based on the unquenched orbital angular momentum of the [Fe(CN)(6)](3-) anion, giving rise to an M(s) approximately +/-9/2 ground state, isolated by approximately 11.5 cm(-1) from the higher-lying levels. The reported INS and magnetic data should now serve as a benchmark against which theoretical models that aim to inter-relate the electronic and molecular structure of molecular magnets should be tested.

Highly anisotropic exchange interactions in a trigonal bipyramidal cyanide-bridged Ni(II)3Os(III)2 cluster.

This article is a part of our efforts to control the magnetic anisotropy in cyanide-based exchange-coupled systems with the eventual goal to obtain single-molecule magnets with higher blocking temperatures. We give the theoretical interpretation of the magnetic properties of the new pentanuclear complex {[Ni(II)(tmphen)(2)](3)[Os(III)(CN)(6)](2)} x 6 CH(3)CN (Ni(II)(3)Os(III)(2) cluster). Because the system contains the heavy Os(III) ions, spin-orbit coupling considerably exceeds the contributions from the low-symmetry crystal field and exchange coupling. The magnetic properties of the Ni(II)(3)Os(III)(2) cluster are described in the framework of a highly anisotropic pseudo-spin Hamiltonian that corresponds to the limit of strong spin-orbital coupling and takes into account the complex molecular structure. The model provides a good fit to the experimental data and allows the conclusion that the trigonal axis of the bipyramidal Ni(II)(3)Os(III)(2) cluster is a hard axis of magnetization. This explains the fact that in contrast with the isostructural trigonal bipyramidal Mn(III)(2)Mn(II)(3) cluster, the Ni(II)(3)Os(III)(2) system does not exhibit the single-molecule magnetic behavior.

A highly anisotropic cobalt(II)-based single-chain magnet: exploration of spin canting in an antiferromagnetic array.

In this article we report for the first time experimental details concerning the synthesis and full characterization (including the single-crystal X-ray structure) of the spin-canted zigzag-chain compound [Co(H2L)(H2O)]infinity [L = 4-Me-C6H4-CH2N(CPO3H2)2], which contains antiferromagnetically coupled, highly magnetically anisotropic Co(II) ions with unquenched orbital angular momenta, and we also propose a new model to explain the single-chain magnet behavior of this compound. The model takes into account (1) the tetragonal crystal field and the spin-orbit interaction acting on each Co(II) ion, (2) the antiferromagnetic Heisenberg exchange between neighboring Co(II) ions, and (3) the tilting of the tetragonal axes of the neighboring Co units in the zigzag structure. We show that the tilting of the anisotropy axes gives rise to spin canting and consequently to a nonvanishing magnetization for the compound. In the case of a strong tetragonal field that stabilizes the orbital doublet of Co(II), the effective pseudo-spin-1/2 Hamiltonian describing the interaction between the Co ions in their ground Kramers doublet states is shown to be of the Ising type. An analytical expression for the static magnetic susceptibility of the infinite spin-canted chain is obtained. The model provides an excellent fit to the experimental data on both the static and dynamic magnetic properties of the chain.

Origin of the single chain magnet behavior of the Co(H2L)(H2O) compound with a 1D structure.

The paper is aimed at the elucidation of the main factors responsible for the single-chain magnet behavior of the cobalt(II) disphosphonate compound Co(H2L)(H2O) with a 1D structure. The model takes into account the spin-orbit interaction, the axial component of the octahedral crystal field acting on the ground-state cubic 4T1 terms of the Co(II) ions, the antiferromagnetic exchange interaction between Co(II) ions as well as the difference in the crystallographic positions of these ions. The conditions that favor the single-chain magnet behavior based on spin canting in a 1D chain containing inequivalent Co(II) centers are discussed. The peculiarities of this behavior in chains containing orbitally degenerate ions are revealed. The qualitative explanation of the experimental data is given.

Control of the Barrier in Cyanide Based Single Molecule Magnets Mn(III)2Mn(II)3: Theoretical Analysis.

The aim of this communication is to probe the possibility of increasing the barrier for reversal of magnetization in the family of new cyano-bridged pentanuclear Mn(III)2Mn(II)3 clusters in which single molecule magnet behavior has been recently discovered. In this context, we analyze the global magnetic anisotropy arising from the unquenched orbital angular momenta of ground terms (3)T1(t2(4)) of the two apical Mn(III) ions. The model takes into account the trigonal component of the crystal field, spin-orbit interaction in (3)T1(t2(4)), and an isotropic exchange interaction between Mn(III) and Mn(II) ions. The height of the barrier is shown to be sensitive to the change of the trigonal field stabilizing orbital doublet (3)E, which carries the first-order orbital magnetic contribution and enhances with an increase of the trigonal field. This result is expected to be useful for the more rational design of new cyano-bridged SMMs with high blocking temperatures.

Role of the orbitally degenerate Mn(III) ions in the single-molecule magnet behavior of the cyanide cluster ([MnII(tmphen)2]3[Mn(III)(CN)6]2) (tmphen = 3,4,7,8-tetramethyl-1,10-phenanthroline).

We report a new theoretical model that accounts for the unusual magnetic properties of the cyanide cluster ([MnII(tmphen)2]3[MnIII(CN)6]2) (tmphen = 3,4,7,8-tetramethyl-1,10-phenanthroline). The model takes into account (1) the spin-orbit interaction, (2) the trigonal component of the crystal field acting on the ground-state cubic (3)T(1) terms of the apical Mn(III) ions, and (3) the isotropic contribution to the exchange interaction between Mn(III) and Mn(II) ions. The ground state of the cluster was shown to be the state with the total angular momentum projection |M(J)| = 15/2; the energies of the low-lying levels obtained from this treatment increase with decreasing |M(J)| values, a situation that leads to a barrier for the reversal of magnetization (U(eff) approximately 30 cm(-1)). The new model explains the recently discovered single-molecule magnet behavior of the ([MnII(tmphen)2]3[MnIII(CN)6]2)in contrast to the traditional approach that takes into account only the ground-state spin (S) and a negative zero-field splitting parameter (D(S) < 0).