A single molecule magnet to single molecule magnet transformation via a solvothermal process: Fe 4 Dy 2 → Fe 6 Dy 3

Abstract

Under ambient and solvothermal conditions four new compounds [FeIII4LnIII2(μ 3 -OH) 2 (mdea) 4 ( m -NO 2 C 6 H 4 COO) 8 ]·3MeCN and [FeIII6LnIII3(μ 4 -O) 3 (μ 3 -O)(mdea) 5 ( m -NO 2 C 6 H 4 COO) 9 ]·3MeCN (Ln = Y and Dy) have been synthesised and their magnetic properties investigated. Two series of heterometallic Fe III –Ln III compounds, [FeIII4LnIII2(μ 3 -OH) 2 (mdea) 4 ( m -NO 2 C 6 H 4 COO) 8 ]·3MeCN where Ln = Y ( 1 ) and Dy ( 2 ) and [FeIII6LnIII3(μ 4 -O) 3 (μ 3 -O)(mdea) 5 ( m -NO 2 C 6 H 4 COO) 9 ]·3MeCN where Ln = Y ( 3 ) and Dy ( 4 ), were synthesized. Compounds 1 and 2 were obtained under ambient conditions, whereas 3 and 4 were obtained via a solvothermal transformation process by heating 1 or 2 at 120 °C in MeCN. The magnetic properties of all four compounds have been measured and show that compounds 2 and 4 containing Dy III ions exhibit slow relaxation of magnetization characteristic of Single Molecule Magnetic (SMM) behaviour.