Crystal structure and characterization of magnesium carbonate chloride heptahydrate.

MgCO3·MgCl2·7H2O is the only known neutral magnesium carbonate containing chloride ions at ambient conditions. According to the literature, only small and twinned crystals of this double salt could be synthesised in a concentrated solution of MgCl2. For the crystal structure solution, single-crystal diffraction was carried out at a synchrotron radiation source. The monoclinic crystal structure (space group Cc) exhibits double chains of MgO octahedra linked by corners, connected by carbonate units and water molecules. The chloride ions are positioned between these double chains parallel to the (100) plane. Dry MgCO3·MgCl2·7H2O decomposes in the air to chlorartinite, Mg2(OH)Cl(CO3)·nH2O (n = 2 or 3). This work includes an extensive characterization of the title compound by powder X-ray diffraction, thermal analysis, SEM and vibrational spectroscopy.

Structural and Thermal Characterisation of Nanofilms by Time-Resolved X-ray Scattering.

High time resolution in scattering analysis of thin films allows for determination of thermal conductivity by transient pump-probe detection of dissipation of laser-induced heating, TDXTS. We describe an approach that analyses the picosecond-resolved lattice parameter reaction of a gold transducer layer on pulsed laser heating to determine the thermal conductivity of layered structures below the transducer. A detailed modeling of the cooling kinetics by a Laplace-domain approach allows for discerning effects of conductivity and thermal interface resistance as well as basic depth information. The thermal expansion of the clamped gold film can be calibrated to absolute temperature change and effects of plastic deformation are discriminated. The method is demonstrated on two extreme examples of phononic barriers, isotopically modulated silicon multilayers with very small acoustic impedance mismatch and silicon-molybdenum multilayers, which show a high resistivity.

SMM behaviour and magnetocaloric effect in heterometallic 3d-4f coordination clusters with high azide : metal ratios.

We present the synthesis and characterization of heterometallic compounds with a very large azide to metal ratio. Their interesting structures give rise to fascinating magnetic properties.

Search for Electron Delocalization from [Fe(CN)6]3- to the Dication of Viologen in (DNP)3[Fe(CN)6]2·10H2O.

K3Fe(CN)6 reacts with the viologen 1,1'-bis(2,4-dinitrophenyl)-4,4'-bipyridinium dication, (DNP)2+, to form a supramolecular complex, (DNP)3[Fe(CN)6]2·10H2O (1). The crystal structure of 1 reveals that there are two [Fe(CN)6]3- anions within an organic framework of three (DNP)2+ cations with the shortest Fe(III)···Fe(III) distances of ca. 9.8 Å, distances that minimize extensive long-range magnetic exchange coupling interactions between the [Fe(CN)6]3- anions, and, thus, 1 is paramagnetic above ca. 17 K and exhibits weak ferromagnetic coupling between 17 and 3 K and antiferromagnetic coupling between 3 and 1.8 K. The long Fe(III)···Fe(III) distances permit slow spin-spin and slow spin-lattice paramagnetic relaxation, relative to the iron-57 Larmor precession frequency, as is evidenced by the Mössbauer spectra measured between 3 and 60 K; between 85 and 295 K, rapid paramagnetic relaxation is observed. Both the slow spin-spin and slow spin-lattice relaxation are mediated by the organic, π-conjugated viologen cations. The Fe-C distances, the Mössbauer isomer shifts, the temperature dependence of the magnetic susceptibility, and the 3 K magnetization results all indicate the presence of low-spin Fe(III) ions in the [Fe(CN)6]3- anions in 1. There is no unequivocal indication of the presence of any formal electron delocalization or transfer from the [Fe(CN)6]3- anion to the (DNP)2+ cations in the results obtained from X-ray crystallography, magnetic measurements, and Mössbauer spectra. Because of enhancement of the spin-orbit coupling by the heavy-atom or -ion effect, the Fe(III) ions in the [Fe(CN)6]3- anions interact with the (DNP)2+ cations, causing them to fluoresce with increasing intensity upon cooling from 90 to 25 K when excited at 300 nm. The resulting luminescence of the viologen (DNP)2+ cation induced by the [Fe(CN)6]3- anions indicates the presence of significant mixing of the molecular orbitals derived from the [Fe(CN)6]3- anions and the molecular orbitals associated with the (DNP)2+ cations to yield bonding supramolecular orbitals in 1, a mixing that is also observed between 50 and 3 K in the temperature dependence of the isomer shift of 1.

Polymeric cobalt(ii) thiolato complexes - syntheses, structures and properties of [Co(SMes)2] and [Co(SPh)2NH3].

Reactions of [Co(N(SiMe3)2)2thf] with 2.1 equiv. of MesSH (Mes = C6H2-2,4,6-(CH3)3) yield dark brown crystals of the one dimensional chain compound [Co(SMes)2]. In contrast reactions of [Co(N(SiMe3)2)2thf] with 2.1 equiv. of PhSH result in the formation of a dark brown almost X-ray amorphous powder of 'Co(SPh)2'. Addition of aliquots of CH3OH to the latter reaction resulted in the almost quantitative formation of crystalline ammonia thiolato complexes either [Co(SPh)2(NH3)2] or [Co(SPh)2NH3]. Single crystal XRD reveals that [Co(SPh)2NH3] forms one-dimensional chains in the crystal via µ2-SPh bridges whereas [Co(SPh)2(NH3)2] consists at a first glance of isolated distorted tetrahedral units. Magnetic measurements suggest strong antiferromagnetic coupling for the two chain compounds [Co(SMes)2] (J = -38.6 cm-1) and [Co(SPh)2NH3] (J = -27.1 cm-1). Interestingly, also the temperature dependence of the susceptibility of tetrahedral [Co(SPh)2(NH3)2] shows an antiferromagnetic transition at around 6 K. UV-Vis-NIR spectra display d-d bands in the NIR region between 500 and 2250 nm. Thermal gravimetric analysis of [Co(SPh)2(NH3)2] and [Co(SPh)2NH3] reveals two well separated cleavage processes for NH3 and SPh2 upon heating accompanied by the stepwise formation of 'Co(SPh)2' and cobalt sulfide.

Membrane Thinning and Thickening Induced by Membrane-Active Amphipathic Peptides.

Membrane thinning has been discussed as a fundamental mechanism by which antimicrobial peptides can perturb cellular membranes. To understand which factors play a role in this process, we compared several amphipathic peptides with different structures, sizes and functions in their influence on the lipid bilayer thickness. PGLa and magainin 2 from X. laevis were studied as typical representatives of antimicrobial cationic amphipathic α-helices. A 1:1 mixture of these peptides, which is known to possess synergistically enhanced activity, allowed us to evaluate whether and how this synergistic interaction correlates with changes in membrane thickness. Other systems investigated here include the α-helical stress-response peptide TisB from E. coli (which forms membrane-spanning dimers), as well as gramicidin S from A. migulanus (a natural antibiotic), and BP100 (designer-made antimicrobial and cell penetrating peptide). The latter two are very short, with a circular ß-pleated and a compact α-helical structure, respectively. Solid-state (2)H-NMR and grazing incidence small angle X-ray scattering (GISAXS) on oriented phospholipid bilayers were used as complementary techniques to access the hydrophobic thickness as well as the bilayer-bilayer repeat distance including the water layer in between. This way, we found that magainin 2, gramicidin S, and BP100 induced membrane thinning, as expected for amphiphilic peptides residing in the polar/apolar interface of the bilayer. PGLa, on the other hand, decreased the hydrophobic thickness only at very high peptide:lipid ratios, and did not change the bilayer-bilayer repeat distance. TisB even caused an increase in the hydrophobic thickness and repeat distance. When reconstituted as a mixture, PGLa and magainin 2 showed a moderate thinning effect which was less than that of magainin 2 alone, hence their synergistically enhanced activity does not seem to correlate with a modulation of membrane thickness. Overall, the absence of a typical thinning response in the case of PGLa, and the increase in the repeat distance and membrane thickening observed for TisB, demonstrate that the concept of peptide-induced membrane thinning cannot be generalized. Instead, these results suggest that different factors contribute to the resulting changes in membrane thickness, such as the peptide orientation in the bilayer, and/or bilayer adaptation to hydrophobic mismatch.

Luminescence in phosphine-stabilized copper chalcogenide cluster molecules--a comparative study.

The electronic properties of a series of eight copper chalcogenide clusters including [Cu12S6(dpppt)4] (dpppt = Ph2P(CH2)5PPh2), [Cu12Se6(dppo)4] (dppo = Ph2P(CH2)8PPh2), [Cu12S6(dppf)4] (dppf = Ph2PCpFeCpPPh2), [Cu12S6(PPh2Et)8], [Cu12S6(PEt3)8], [Cu24S12(PEt2Ph)12], [Cu20S10(PPh3)8], and [Cu20S10(P(t)Bu3)8] were investigated by absorption and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy as well as time-dependent density functional theory calculations. Major features of the experimental electronic absorption spectra are generally well-reproduced by the spectra simulated from the calculated singlet transitions. Visualization of the nonrelaxed difference densities indicates that for all compounds transitions at higher energies (above ∼2.5 eV, i.e., below ∼495 nm) predominantly involve excitations of electrons from orbitals of the cluster core to ligand orbitals. Conversely, the natures of the lower-energy transitions are found to be highly sensitive to the specifics of the ligand surface. Bright red PL (centered at ∼650-700 nm) in the solid state at ambient temperature is found for complexes with all 'Cu12S6' (E = S, Se) cores as well as the dimeric 'Cu24S12', although in [Cu12S6(dppf)4], the PL appears to be efficiently quenched by the ferrocenyl groups. Of the two isomeric 'Cu20S10' complexes the prolate cluster [Cu20S10(PPh3)8] shows a broad emission that is centered at ∼820 nm, whereas the oblate cluster [Cu20S10(P(t)Bu3)8] displays a relatively weak orange emission at ∼575 nm. The emission of all complexes decays on the time scale of a few microseconds at ambient temperature. A very high photostability is quantitatively estimated for the representative complex [Cu12S6(dpppt)4] under anaerobic conditions.

Pharmaceutical hydrates under ambient conditions from high-pressure seeds: a case study of GABA monohydrate.

The monohydrate form of the neurotransmitter γ-amino butyric acid (GABA) has been crystallised in the 0.4-0.8 GPa pressure range, recovered to ambient pressure and then used as a seed. Theoretical calculations indicate that this hydrate is only thermodynamically favoured over the two anhydrous forms at high pressures.

Crystal structure and packing energy calculations of (+)-6-aminopenicillanic acid.

The X-ray single-crystal structure of (2S,5R,6R)-6-amino-3,3-dimethyl-7-oxo-4-thia-1-azabicyclo[3.2.0]heptane-2-carboxylic acid, commonly known as (+)-6-aminopenicillanic acid (C8H12N2O3S) and a precursor of a variety of semi-synthetic penicillins, has been determined from synchrotron data at 150 K. The structure represents an ordered zwitterion and the crystals are nonmerohedrally twinned. The crystal structure is composed of a three-dimensional network built by three charge-assisted hydrogen bonds between the ammonium and carboxylate groups. The complementary analysis of the crystal packing by the PIXEL method brings to light the nature and ranking of the energetically most stabilizing intermolecular interaction energies. In accordance with the zwitterionic nature of the structure, PIXEL lattice energy calculations confirm the predominance of the Coulombic term (-379.1 kJ mol(-1)) ahead of the polarization (-141.4 kJ mol(-1)), dispersion (-133.7 kJ mol(-1)) and repulsion (266.3 kJ mol(-1)) contributions.

Synthesis, magnetism, and 57Fe Mössbauer spectroscopic study of a family of [Ln3Fe7] coordination clusters (Ln = Gd, Tb, and Er).

The reaction of N-methydiethanolamine (mdeaH2), benzoic acid, FeCl3, and Ln(NO3)3·6H2O or LnCl3·xH2O yields a series of decanuclear coordination clusters, [Ln3Fe7(µ4-O)2(µ3-OH)2(mdea)7(µ-benzoate)4(N3)6]·4MeCN·H2O, where Ln = Gd(III) (1) or Tb(III) (2), and [Er3Fe7(µ4-O)2(µ3-OH)2(mdea)7(µ-benzoate)4(N3)5(MeOH)]Cl·7.5H2O·11.5MeOH (3). The isostructural compounds 1-3 all crystallize isotypically in the triclinic space group P1̅ with Z = 2, as does the previously reported dysprosium analogue 4. Six of the Fe(III) ions are pseudooctahedrally coordinated, whereas the seventh has a trigonal-bipyramidal coordination geometry. Temperature-dependent direct-current magnetic susceptibility studies indicate that intracluster antiferromagnetic interactions are dominant in 1-3. The frequency-dependent out-of-phase (χ″) alternating-current susceptibility reveals that 2 undergoes a slow relaxation of its magnetization, presumably resulting from anisotropy of the Tb(III) ions. Between 30 and 295 K, the (57)Fe Mössbauer spectra reveal paramagnetic behavior with six partially resolved quadrupole doublets, one for the trigonal-bipyramidal Fe(III) site and five for the six pseudooctahedral Fe(III) sites. The Mössbauer spectra of 2 and 3 obtained between 3 and 30 K are consistent with the presence of Fe(III) intracluster antiferromagnetic coupling with slow magnetic relaxation relative to the Larmor precession time. Further, the observed changes in the effective magnetic field values in the spectra measured at 3 K with increasing applied field are consistent with the effect of the local spin polarization along the applied magnetic field direction, a behavior reminiscent of antiparallel spin-coupled iron molecular paramagnetic systems.

Magnetic interactions mediated by diamagnetic cations in [Mn18M] (M = Sr2+, Y3+, Cd2+, and Lu3+) coordination clusters.

We previously reported how the synthesis of [Mn(III)12Mn(II)7(µ4-O)8(µ3-η(1)-N3)8(HL(1))12(MeCN)6]Cl2·10MeOH·MeCN (1), which has a Mn19 core corresponding to two supertetrahedral {Mn(II)4Mn(III)6} units sharing a common Mn(II) vertex, can be modified such that the central octacoordinate Mn(II) ion can be replaced by metal ions more likely to favor this coordination geometry such as Dy(III) as exemplified in the compound [Mn(III)12Mn(II)6Dy(III)(µ4-O)8(µ3-Cl)6.5(µ3-N3)1.5(HL)12(MeOH)6]Cl3·25MeOH (2). Here, we report a systematic survey of the effects of incorporating various diamagnetic metal ions M(n+) into this central position. We chose diamagnetic ions with electron configurations with fully occupied or completely empty frontier orbitals in order to gauge the effect on the overall magnetic behavior. The syntheses, structures, and magnetic properties of the heterometallic aggregates [Mn(III)12Mn(II)6Sr(II)(µ4-O)8(µ3-η(1)-N3)7.5(µ3-η(1)-Cl)0.5(HL(1))12(MeCN)6]Cl2·15MeOH (3), [Mn(III)12Mn(II)6Y(III)(µ4-O)8(µ3-η(1)-N3)8(HL(1))12(MeCN)6](NO3)3·11MeOH (4), [Mn(III)12Mn(II)6Cd(II)(µ4-O)8(µ3-η(1)-N3)6.8(µ3-η(1)-Cl)1.2(HL(1))12(MeCN)6](CdCl4)0.25Cl1.5·14.5MeOH (5), and [Mn(III)12Mn(II)6Lu(III)(µ4-O)8(µ3-η(1)-N3)6.5(µ3-η(1)-Cl)1.5(HL(2))12(MeCN)6]Cl3·3H2O·7MeOH·MeCN (6) (H3L(1) = 2,6-bis(hydroxymethyl)-4-methylphenol, H3L(2) = 2,6-bis(hydroxymethyl)-4-fluorophenol) are reported. The aggregates were prepared in one-pot self-assembly reactions of H3L(1) (or H3L(2)), MnCl2·4H2O or Mn(NO3)2·4H2O, NaOAc·3H2O or Et3N, and NaN3 in the presence of the appropriate diamagnetic metal salt in MeCN/MeOH mixtures. Compounds 3-6 crystallize isotypically to 1 in the trigonal space group R3 with Z = 3. The effects on the magnetic properties were investigated, paying attention to the presence of any weak coupling mediated by the diamagnetic cations between the two {Mn(II)3Mn(III)6} S = 39/2 subunits. In the Cd(2+) compound 5, the two {Mn(II)3Mn(III)6} units are magnetically isolated. In 3, 4, and 6, the diamagnetic Sr(2+), Y(3+), and Lu(3+) cations mediate weak antiferromagnetic interactions between the two {Mn(II)3Mn(III)6} subunits. DFT calculations show that the inter-{Mn(II)3Mn(III)6} interactions in the Mn18M systems are attributable to the electronic structure of the central diamagnetic cation, with systems containing trivalent central cations showing stronger antiferromagnetic interactions than those with isoelectronic divalent cations.

Self-assembly of a mononuclear [Fe(III)(L)(EtOH)2] complex bearing an n-dodecyl chain on solid highly oriented pyrolytic graphite surfaces.

The synthesis and structures of the N-[(2-hydroxy-3-methyl-5-dodecylphenyl)methyl]-N-(carboxymethyl)glycine disodium salt (HL) ligand and its neutral mononuclear complex [Fe(III) (L)(EtOH)(2)] (1) are reported. Structural and electronic properties of 1 were investigated by using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and current imaging tunneling spectroscopy (CITS) techniques. These studies reveal that molecules of 1 form well-ordered self-assemblies when deposited on a highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) surface. At low concentrations, single or double chains (i.e., nanowires) of the complex were observed, whereas at high concentration the complex forms crystals and densely packed one-dimensional structures. In STM topographies, the dimensions of assemblies of 1 found on the surface are consistent with dimensions obtained from X-ray crystallography, which indicates the strong similarities between the crystal form and surface assembled states. Double chains are attributed to hydrogen-bonding interactions and the molecules align preferentially along graphite defects. In the CITS image of complex 1 a strong tunneling current contrast at the positions of the metal ions was observed. These data were interpreted and reveal that the bonds coordinating the metal ions are weaker than those of the surrounding ligands; therefore the energy levels next to the Fermi energy of the molecule should be dominated by metal-ion orbitals.

Contribution of spin and anisotropy to single molecule magnet behavior in a family of bell-shaped Mn11Ln2 coordination clusters.

The synthesis, structures, and magnetic properties of a family of isostructural "bell-shaped" heterometallic coordination clusters [Mn(III)(9)Mn(II)(2)La(III)(2)(µ(4)-O)(7)(µ(3)-O)(µ(3)-OH)(2)(piv)(10.8)(O(2)CC(4)H(3)O)(6.2)(NO(3))(2)(OH(2))(1.5)(MeCN)(0.5)]·12CH(3)CN·2H(2)O (1) and [Mn(III)(9)Mn(II)(2)Ln(2)(µ(4)-O)(7)(µ (3)-O)(µ(3)-OH)(2)(piv)(10.6)(O(2)CC(4)H(3)O)(6.4)(NO(3))(2)(OH(2))]·nCH(3)CN·H(2)O (Ln = Pr(III), n = 8 (2); Ln = Nd(III), n = 10 (3); Ln = Eu(III), n = 17 (4); Ln = Gd(III), n = 13 (5); piv = pivalate) are reported. The complexes were obtained from the reaction of [Mn(III)(2)Mn(II)(4)O(2)(piv)(10)(4-Me-py)(2.5)(pivH)(1.5)] and Ln(NO(3))(3)·6H(2)O in the presence of 2-furan-carboxylic acid (C(4)H(3)OCOOH) in CH(3)CN. Compounds 1-5 are isomorphous, crystallizing in the triclinic space group P1 with Z = 2. The Mn(III) and Mn(II) centers together form the shell of the bell, while the two Ln(III) centers can be regarded as the bell's clapper. The magnetic properties of 1-4 reveal dominant antiferromagnetic interactions between the magnetic centers leading to small spin ground states; while those of 5 indicate similar antiferromagnetic interactions between the manganese ions but with unusually strong ferromagnetic interactions between the Gd(III) ions leading to a large overall spin ground state of S = 11-12. While ac and dc magnetic measurements confirmed that Mn(11)Gd(2) (5) is a single-molecule magnet (SMM) showing hysteresis loops at low temperatures, compounds 1-4 do not show any slow relaxation of the magnetization, indicating that the S = 7 spin of the ferromagnetic Gd(2) unit in 5 is a necessary contribution to its SMM behavior.

Homoleptic 1-D iron selenolate complexes-synthesis, structure, magnetic and thermal behaviour of (1)(∞)[Fe(SeR)2] (R=Ph, Mes).

The first examples of polymeric homoleptic iron chalcogenolato complexes (1)(∞)[Fe(SePh)(2)] and (1)(∞)[Fe(SeMes)(2)] (Ph = phenyl = C(6)H(5), Mes = mesityl = C(6)H(2)-2,4,6-(CH(3))(3)) have been both prepared by reaction of [Fe(N(SiMe(3))(2))(2)] with two equivalents of HSeR (R = Ph, Mes) while (1)(∞)[Fe(SePh)(2)] was found to be also easily accessible through reactions of either FeCl(2), Fe(OOCCH(3))(2) or FeCl(3) with PhSeSiMe(3) in THF. In the crystal, the two compounds form one-dimensional chains with bridging selenolate ligands comprising distinctly different Fe-Se-Fe bridging angles, namely 71.15-72.57° in (1)(∞)[Fe(SePh)(2)] and 91.80° in (1)(∞)[Fe(SeMes)(2)]. Magnetic measurements supported by DFT calculations reveal that this geometrical change has a pronounced influence on the antiferromagnetic exchange interactions of the unpaired electrons along the chains in the two different compounds with a calculated magnetic exchange coupling constant of J = -137 cm(-1) in (1)(∞)[Fe(SePh)(2)] and J = -20 cm(-1) in (1)(∞)[Fe(SeMes)(2)]. In addition we were able to show that the ring molecule [Fe(SePh)(2)](12) which is a structural isomer of (1)(∞)[Fe(SePh)(2)] behaves magnetically similar to the latter one. Investigations by powder XRD reveal that the ring molecule is only a metastable intermediate which converts in THF completely to form (1)(∞)[Fe(SePh)(2)]. Thermal gravimetric analysis of (1)(∞)[Fe(SePh)(2)] under vacuum conditions shows that the compound is thermally labile and already starts to decompose above 30 °C in a two step process under cleavage of SePh(2) to finally form at 250 °C tetragonal PbO-type FeSe. The reaction of (1)(∞)[Fe(SePh)(2)] with the Lewis base 1,10-phenanthroline yielded, depending on the conditions, the octahedral monomeric complexes [Fe(SePh)(2)(1,10-phen)(2)] and [Fe(1,10-phen)(3)][Fe(SePh)(4)].

Intermolecular interactions, disorder and twinning in ciprofloxacin-2,2-difluoroethanol (2/3) and ciprofloxacin-water (3/14.5).

The antibiotic ciprofloxacin [systematic name: 1-cyclopropyl-6-fluoro-4-oxo-7-(piperazin-4-ium-1-yl)-1,4-dihydroquinoline-3-carboxylate], has been crystallized as a 2:3 solvate with 2,2-difluoroethanol, 2C(17)H(18)FN(3)O(3)·3C(2)H(4)O(2), (I), and as a 3:14.5 hydrate, 3C(17)H(18)FN(3)O(3)·14.5H(2)O, (II). The structure of (I) was determined using synchrotron X-ray diffraction data and refined as a two-component nonmerohedral twin. Both structures contain several independent molecules in the asymmetric unit: (I) contains two zwitterionic ciprofloxacin molecules and three difluoroethanol solvent molecules, while (II) contains three zwitterionic ciprofloxacin molecules and a mixture of ordered and disordered water molecules. The intermolecular interactions were analysed using fingerprint plots derived from Hirshfeld surfaces, providing a detailed description of the unique environment of each independent ciprofloxacin molecule.

A family of 3d-4f octa-nuclear [Mn(III)(4)Ln(III)(4)] wheels (Ln = Sm, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, and Y): synthesis, structure, and magnetism.

We present the syntheses, crystal structures, and magnetochemical characterizations for a family of isostructural [Mn(4)Ln(4)] compounds (Ln = Sm, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, and Y). They were prepared from the reactions of formic acid, propionic acid, N-n-butyl-diethanolamine, manganese perchlorate, and lanthanide nitrates under the addition of triethylamine in MeOH. The compounds possess an intriguing hetero-octanuclear wheel structure with four Mn(III) and four Ln(III) ions alternatively arranged in a saddle-like ring, where formate ions act as key carboxylate bridges. In the lattice, the molecules stack into columns in a quasi-hexagonal arrangement. Direct current (dc) magnetic susceptibility measurements indicated the depopulation of the Stark components at low temperature and/or very weak antiferromagnetic interactions between magnetic centers. The zero-field alternating current (ac) susceptibility studies revealed that the compounds containing Sm, Tb, and Dy showed frequency-dependent out-of-phase signals, indicating they are single-molecule magnets (SMMs). Magnetization versus applied dc field sweeps on a single crystal of the Dy compound down to 40 mK exhibited hysteresis depending on temperatures and field sweeping rates, further confirming that the Dy compound is a SMM. The magnetization dynamics of the Sm and Y compounds investigated under dc fields revealed that the relaxation of the Sm compound is considered to be dominated by the two-phonon (Orbach) process while the Y compound displays a multiple relaxation process.

New heterometallic [Mn(III)(4)Ln(III)(4)] wheels incorporating formate ligands.

Two heteroctanuclear wheel complexes with an eight-membered saddle-like ring of [Mn(III)(4)Ln(III)(4)] (Ln = Dy, Gd), prepared by employing formates as key carboxylate bridges, exhibit antiferromagnetic interactions between Mn(III) and Ln(III) centers, and the wheel containing anisotropic Dy(III) ions shows SMM behaviour.

Family of Mn(III)(2)Ln(2)(mu(4)-O) compounds: syntheses, structures, and magnetic properties.

An isostructural family of tetranuclear aggregates [Mn(III)(2)Ln(2)(O)(Piv)(2)(hep)(4)(NO(3))(4)].MeCN (where Ln = Y(III) (1), Pr(III) (2), Nd(III) (3), Gd(III) (4), Tb(III) (5), Dy(III) (6), Ho(III) (7), and Yb(III) (8)) is reported. They were obtained from the reactions of 2-(2-hydroxyethyl)pyridine (hepH) with a preformed hexanuclear manganese complex, [Mn(6)], and the respective lanthanide salt. The complexes are isomorphous and represent a new heterometallic 3d-4f complex type for this class of ligand. The structural core of 1-8 consists of a distorted Mn(2)Ln(2) tetrahedron with the four metal centers linking through a mu(4)-O(2-) bridging atom. The magnetic properties of all complexes were investigated by variable temperature magnetic susceptibility and magnetization measurements. The magnetic data of all compounds suggest that antiferromagnetic interactions are present between adjacent paramagnetic centers. Complexes 5-7 containing highly anisotropic lanthanide ions (Tb, Dy, and Ho) show slow relaxation of their magnetization.

Synthesis and structure of an "iron-doped" copper selenide cluster molecule: [Cu30Fe2Se6(SePh)24(dppm)4].

CuCl and bis(diphenylphosphanyl)methane (dppm) react in the presence of small amounts of FeCl(3) with PhSeSiMe(3) and Se(SiMe(3))(2) to yield [Cu(30)Fe(2)Se(6)(SePh)(24)(dppm)(4)]. The crystal structure of the compound was determined by single-crystal X-ray analysis to give a mixed copper selenide/selenolate cluster molecule of a new structural type incorporating two central iron atoms. The formal oxidation state of the iron atoms was determined by Mössbauer spectroscopy to be +3, in agreement with quantum chemical calculations and modeling of the magnetic data. In addition, Mössbauer studies show no magnetic hyperfine structure in zero field, and the magnetically perturbed spectrum displays a pattern typical for a diamagnetic species in a transverse field, suggesting a singlet ground state. However, the inclusion of the iron atoms has a distinct influence on the optical properties of the compound compared to similar clusters containing only copper and selenium atoms.

Magnetic and 57Fe Mössbauer study of the single molecule magnet behavior of a Dy3Fe7 coordination cluster.

The reaction between N-methydiethanolamine (mdeaH(2)), benzoic acid, FeCl(3), and DyCl(3) yields a decanuclear coordination cluster, [Dy(3)Fe(7)(mu(4)-O)(2)(mu(3)-OH)(2)(mdea)(7)(mu-benzoate)(4)(N(3))(6)] x 2 H(2)O x 7 CH(3)OH (1) whose single crystal structure exhibits three and seven crystallographically distinct Dy(III) and Fe(III) ions; six of the Fe(III) ions are pseudo-octahedrally coordinated, whereas the seventh has a trigonal-bipyramidal coordination geometry. Both direct current (dc) and alternating current (ac) magnetic susceptibility studies indicate that, upon cooling, intracluster antiferromagnetic interactions are dominant in 1, yielding a ferrimagnetic spin arrangement. The out-of-phase (chi'') ac susceptibility reveals that 1 undergoes a slow relaxation of its magnetization mainly resulting from the anisotropy of the Dy(III) ions. This slow relaxation has been confirmed both by magnetization measurements on an oriented single crystal of 1 and by the observation of hysteresis loops below 1.9 K. The macroscopic magnetic studies yield an effective energy barrier, U(eff), of 33.4 K for this relaxation, a barrier that is the highest yet reported for a lanthanide(III)-Fe(III) single molecule magnet. The (57)Fe Mössbauer spectra of 1 obtained between 3 and 35 K are consistent with the presence of Fe(III) intracluster antiferromagnetic coupling with slow magnetic relaxation relative to the Larmor precession time, thus confirming, on a microscopic scale, the presence of a barrier to the magnetic relaxation below 35 K. Between 55 and 295 K the Mössbauer spectra reveal paramagnetic behavior with six partially resolved quadrupole doublets, one for the trigonal-bipyramidal Fe(III) site and five for the six pseudo-octahedral Fe(III) sites.