High-temperature ferromagnetism of a discotic liquid crystal dilutely intercalated with iron(III) phthalocyanine.

Room-temperature ferromagnetism of an organic discotic liquid crystalline compound (DLC) is achieved by intercalation at low levels with paramagnetic iron(III) phthalocyanine (see figure). These ferromagnetic DLCs are very similar to the so-called dilute magnetic semiconductors of inorganic nature. It is expected that this novel approach will open up a new way of preparing the high-temperature organic ferromagnetic compounds needed for molecular spintronics.