Multi-frequency EPR studies of a mononuclear holmium single-molecule magnet based on the polyoxometalate [Ho(III)(W5O18)2]9-.

Continuous-wave, multi-frequency electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) studies are reported for a series of single-crystal and powder samples containing different dilutions of a recently discovered mononuclear Ho(III) (4f(10)) single-molecule magnet (SMM) encapsulated in a highly symmetric polyoxometalate (POM) cage. The encapsulation offers the potential for applications in molecular spintronics devices, as it preserves the intrinsic properties of the nanomagnet outside of the crystal. A significant magnetic anisotropy arises due to a splitting of the Hund's coupled total angular momentum (J = L + S = 8) ground state in the POM ligand field. Thus, high-frequency (50.4 GHz) EPR studies reveal a highly anisotropic eight line spectrum corresponding to transitions within the lowest m(J) = ±4 doublet, split by a strong hyperfine interaction with the I = 7/2 Ho nucleus (100% natural abundance). X-band EPR studies reveal the presence of an appreciable tunneling gap between the m(J) = ±4 doublet states having the same nuclear spin projection, leading to a highly non-linear field-dependence of the spectrum at low-frequencies.

Magnetic anisotropy in a heavy atom radical ferromagnet.

High-field, single-crystal EPR spectroscopy on a tetragonal bisdiselenazolyl ferromagnet has provided evidence for the presence of easy-axis magnetic anisotropy, with the crystallographic c axis as the easy axis and the ab plane as the hard plane. The observation of a zero-field gap in the resonance frequency is interpreted in terms of an anisotropy field several orders of magnitude larger than that observed in light-heteroatom, nonmetallic ferromagnets and comparable (on a per-site basis) to that observed in hexagonal close packed cobalt. The results indicate that large spin-orbit-induced magnetic anisotropies, typically associated with 3d-orbital-based ferromagnets, can also be found in heavy p-block radicals, suggesting that there may be major opportunities for the development of heavy p-block organic magnetic materials.

Studies of magnetic properties and HFEPR of octanuclear manganese single-molecule magnets.

A new octanuclear manganese cluster [Mn(8)(Hpmide)(4)O(4)(EtCOO)(6)](ClO(4))(2) (1) is achieved by employing Hpmide as the ligand, and this paper examines the synthesis, X-ray structure, high-field electron paramagnetic resonance (HFEPR), magnetization hysteresis loops and magnetic susceptibilities. Complex 1 was prepared by two different methods, and hence, was crystallized in two space groups: P3(2)21 for 1a and P3(1)21 for 1b. Each molecule possesses four Mn(II) and four Mn(III) ions. The metal-oxo framework of complex 1 consists of three face-sharing cubes with manganese ions on alternate corners. The four Mn(III) cations have their Jahn-Teller elongation axes roughly parallel to the c axis of the crystal lattice. The dc magnetic susceptibility measurements reveal a spin-frustration effect in this compound. The ac magnetic susceptibilities, as well as the magnetization hysteresis measurements, clearly establish that complex 1a is a single-molecule-magnet (SMM) with a kinetic energy barrier (10.4 cm(-1)) for spin reversal. HFEPR further confirms that complex 1a is a new SMM with a magnetoanisotropy and quantized energy levels. However, interpretation of the complete set of measurements in terms of a well defined spin ground state is not possible due to the spin frustration.

Magnetic quantum tunneling: insights from simple molecule-based magnets.

This perspectives article takes a broad view of the current understanding of magnetic bistability and magnetic quantum tunneling in single-molecule magnets (SMMs), focusing on three families of relatively simple, low-nuclearity transition metal clusters: spin S = 4 Ni(II)(4), Mn(III)(3) (S = 2 and 6) and Mn(III)(6) (S = 4 and 12). The Mn(III) complexes are related by the fact that they contain triangular Mn(III)(3) units in which the exchange may be switched from antiferromagnetic to ferromagnetic without significantly altering the coordination around the Mn(III) centers, thereby leaving the single-ion physics more-or-less unaltered. This allows for a detailed and systematic study of the way in which the individual-ion anisotropies project onto the molecular spin ground state in otherwise identical low- and high-spin molecules, thus providing unique insights into the key factors that control the quantum dynamics of SMMs, namely: (i) the height of the kinetic barrier to magnetization relaxation; and (ii) the transverse interactions that cause tunneling through this barrier. Numerical calculations are supported by an unprecedented experimental data set (17 different compounds), including very detailed spectroscopic information obtained from high-frequency electron paramagnetic resonance and low-temperature hysteresis measurements. Comparisons are made between the giant spin and multi-spin phenomenologies. The giant spin approach assumes the ground state spin, S, to be exact, enabling implementation of simple anisotropy projection techniques. This methodology provides a basic understanding of the concept of anisotropy dilution whereby the cluster anisotropy decreases as the total spin increases, resulting in a barrier that depends weakly on S. This partly explains why the record barrier for a SMM (86 K for Mn(6)) has barely increased in the 15 years since the first studies of Mn(12)-acetate, and why the tiny Mn(3) molecule can have a barrier approaching 60% of this record. Ultimately, the giant spin approach fails to capture all of the key physics, although it works remarkably well for the purely ferromagnetic cases. Nevertheless, diagonalization of the multi-spin Hamiltonian matrix is necessary in order to fully capture the interplay between exchange and local anisotropy, and the resultant spin-state mixing which ultimately gives rise to the tunneling matrix elements in the high symmetry SMMs (ferromagnetic Mn(3) and Ni(4)). The simplicity (low-nuclearity, high-symmetry, weak disorder, etc.) of the molecules highlighted in this study proves to be of crucial importance. Not only that, these simple molecules may be considered among the best SMMs: Mn(6) possesses the record anisotropy barrier, and Mn(3) is the first SMM to exhibit quantum tunneling selection rules that reflect the intrinsic symmetry of the molecule.

Attempting to understand (and control) the relationship between structure and magnetism in an extended family of Mn(6) single-molecule magnets.

The synthesis and characterisation of a large family of hexametallic [Mn(III)(6)] Single-Molecule Magnets of general formula [Mn(III)(6)O(2)(R-sao)(6)(X)(2)(sol)(4-6)] (where R = H, Me, Et; X = (-)O(2)CR' (R' = H, Me, Ph etc) or Hal(-); sol = EtOH, MeOH and/or H(2)O) are presented. We show how deliberate structural distortions of the [Mn(3)O] trinuclear moieties within the [Mn(6)] complexes are used to tune their magnetic properties. These findings highlight a qualitative magneto-structural correlation whereby the type (anti- or ferromagnetic) of each Mn(2) pairwise magnetic exchange is dominated by the magnitude of each individual Mn-N-O-Mn torsion angle. The observation of magneto-structural correlations on such large polymetallic complexes is rare and represents one of the largest studies of this kind.

Twisting, bending, stretching: strategies for making ferromagnetic [Mn(III)3] triangles.

The synthesis and characterisation of a large family of trimetallic [Mn(III)(3)] Single-Molecule Magnets is presented. The complexes reported can be divided into three categories with general formulae (type 1) [Mn(III)(3)O(R-sao)(3)(X)(sol)(3-4)] (where R = H, Me, (t)Bu; X = (-)O(2)CR (R = H, Me, Ph etc); sol = py and/or H(2)O), (type 2) [Mn(III)(3)O(R-sao)(3)(X)(sol)(3-5)] (where R = Me, Et, Ph, (t)Bu; X = (-)O(2)CR (R = H, Me, Ph etc); sol = MeOH, EtOH and/or H(2)O), and (type 3) [Mn(III)(3)O(R-sao)(3)(sol)(3)(XO(4))] (where R = H, Et, Ph, naphth; sol = py, MeOH, beta-pic, Et-py, (t)Bu-py; X = Cl, Re). We show that deliberate structural distortions of the molecule can be used to tune the observed magnetic properties. In the crystals the ferromagnetic triangles are involved in extensive inter-molecular H-bonding which is clearly manifested in the magnetic behaviour, producing exchange-biased SMMs. These interactions can be removed by ligand replacement to give "simpler" SMMs.

Diversity of new structural types in polynuclear iron chemistry with a tridentate N,N,O ligand.

The syntheses, crystal structures, and magnetochemical characterization of four new iron clusters [Fe7O4(O2CPh)11(dmem)2] (1), [Fe7O4(O2CMe)11(dmem)2] (2), [Fe6O2(OH)4(O2CBut)8(dmem)2] (3), and [Fe3O(O2CBut)2(N3)3(dmem)2] (4) (dmemH=Me2NCH2CH2N(Me)CH2CH2OH)=2-{[2-(dimethylamino)ethyl]methylamino}ethanol) are reported. The reaction of dmemH with [Fe3O(O2CR)6(H2O)3](NO3) (R=Ph (1), Me (2), and But (3)) gave 1, 2, and 3, respectively, whereas 4 was obtained from the reaction of 3 with sodium azide. The complexes all possess rare or novel core topologies. The core of 1 comprises two [Fe4(mu3-O)2]8+ butterfly units sharing a common body Fe atom. The core of 2 consists of a [Fe3O3] ring with each doubly bridging O2- ion becoming mu3 by also bridging to a third, external Fe atom; a seventh Fe atom is attached on the outside of this core via an additional mu3-O2- ion. The core of 3 consists of a [Fe4(mu3-O)2]8+ butterfly unit with an Fe atom attached above and below this by bridging O atoms. Finally, the core of 4 is an isosceles triangle bridged by a mu3-O2- ion with a rare T-shaped geometry and with the azide groups all bound terminally. Variable-temperature, solid-state dc, and ac magnetization studies were carried out on complexes 1-4 in the 5.0-300 K range. Fitting of the obtained magnetization (M) vs field (H) and temperature (T) data by matrix diagonalization and including only axial anisotropy (zero-field splitting) established that 1, 2, and 4 each possess an S=5/2 ground state spin, whereas 3 has an S=5 ground state. As is usually the case, good fits of the magnetization data could be obtained with both positive and negative D values. To obtain more accurate values and to determine the sign of D, high-frequency EPR studies were carried out on single crystals of representative complexes 1.4MeCN and 3.2MeCN, and these gave D=+0.62 cm-1 and |E|>or=0.067 cm-1 for 1.4MeCN and D=-0.25 cm-1 for 3.2MeCN. The magnetic susceptibility data for 4 were fit to the theoretical chiM vs T expression derived by the use of an isotropic Heisenberg spin Hamiltonian and the Van Vleck equation, and this revealed the pairwise exchange parameters to be antiferromagnetic with values of Ja=-3.6 cm-1 and Jb=-45.9 cm-1. The combined results demonstrate the ligating flexibility of dmem and its usefulness in the synthesis of a variety of Fex molecular species.