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A novel family of cobalt(II) compounds with tridentate pyridine-2,6-diiminephenyl type ligands featuring electron-withdrawing substituents of general formula [Co( n -XPhPDI) 2 ](ClO 4 ) 2 ·S [ n -XPhPDI = 2,6-bis( N-n -halophenylformimidoyl)pyridine with n = 4 (1-3) and 3 (4); X = I (1), Br (2 and 4) and Cl (3); S = MeCN (1 and 2) and EtOAc (3)] has been synthesised and characterised by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, electron paramagnetic resonance, and static (dc) and dynamic (ac) magnetic measurements combined with theoretical calculations. The structures of 1-4 consist of mononuclear bis(chelating) cobalt(II) complex cations, [Co II ( n -XPhPDI) 2 ] 2+ , perchlorate anions, and acetonitrile (1 and 2) or ethyl acetate (3) molecules of crystallisation. This unique series of mononuclear six-coordinate octahedral cobalt(II) complexes displays both thermally-induced low-spin (LS)/high-spin (HS) transition and field-induced slow magnetic relaxation in both LS and HS states. A complete LS ↔ HS transition occurs for 1 and 2, while it is incomplete for 4, one-third of the complexes being HS at low temperatures. In contrast, 3 remains HS in all the temperature range. 1 and 2 show dual spin relaxation dynamics under the presence of an applied dc magnetic field ( H dc ), with the occurrence of faster- (FR) and slower-relaxing (SR) processes at lower ( H dc = 1.0 kOe) and higher fields ( H dc = 2.5 kOe), respectively. On the contrary, 3 and 4 exhibit only SR and FR relaxations, regardless of H dc . Overall, the distinct field-dependence of the single-molecule magnet (SMM) behaviour along with this family of spin-crossover (SCO) cobalt(II)- n -XPhPDI complexes is dominated by Raman mechanisms and, occasionally, with additional temperature-independent Intra-Kramer [LS or HS ( D > 0)] or Quantum Tunneling of Magnetisation mechanisms [HS ( D < 0)] also contributing.

We herein present the synthesis, spectroscopic analysis, description of the crystal structures and magnetic properties of four new complexes of the formula [{Cu(opba)(H 2 O) 1.2 }{Cu(dmphen)(SCN)} 2 ]·dmf (1), [{Cu(opba)} 2 {Cu(dmphen)Cl} 4 ]·1.5dmf·2.5dmso (2), [{Cu(opba)} 2 {Cu(dmphen)Br} 4 ]·dmf·2.3dmso (3) and [{Cu(opba)}{Cu(dmphen)(dca)} 2 ] n (4) [H 4 opba = N,N'-1,2-phenylenebis(oxamic acid), dmphen = 2,9-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline and dca = dicyanamide anion]. 1 is a neutral tricopper(ii) complex where an inner [Cu(opba)] 2- fragment adopts a bis-bidentate coordination mode towards two outer [Cu(dmphen)(NCS)] + units. 2 and 3 are bis-trinuclear species where two oxamato-bridged [Cu(opba){Cu(dmphen)X} 2 ] [X = Cl - (2) and Br - (3)] tricopper(ii) entities are connected by two single X ions involving the central and one of the peripheral copper(ii) ions. 4 is a neutral chain made up of oxamato-bridged [Cu(opba){Cu(dmphen)(dca)} 2 ] fragments linked through a single end-to-end dicyanamide ligand that connects the central copper(ii) ion with one of the peripheral copper(ii) ions. Magnetic susceptibility measurements on polycrystalline samples of 1-4 in the temperature range 1.9-300 K show the occurrence of strong antiferromagnetic interactions between the copper(ii) ions through the oxamate bridge [J = -328(2) (1), -288(2) (2), -431(2) (3) and -370(1) cm -1 (4), the Hamiltonian being defined as H = -J(S 1 ·S 2 + S 1 ·S 3 )] and a weak ferromagnetic coupling across the equatorial-axial exchange pathway provided by the single halide bridge [j = +3.08(3) (2) and +2.34(1) cm -1 (3)]. These values are analyzed by simple orbital symmetry considerations and compared with those reported in the literature for polynuclear copper(ii) complexes with these bridging ligands.

A novel three-dimensional (3D) coordination polymer with the formula (C 3 N 2 H 5 ) 4 [MnCr 2 (ox) 6 ]·5H 2 O (2), where ox = oxalate and C 3 N 2 H 5 = imidazolium cation, is reported. Single crystal X-ray diffraction reveals that this porous coordination polymer adopts a chiral three-dimensional quartz-like architecture, with the guest imidazolium cations and water molecules being hosted in its pores. This novel multifunctional material exhibits both a ferromagnetic ordering at T C = 3.0 K, related to the host MnCr 2 network, and high proton conductivity [1.86 × 10 -3 S cm -1 at 295 K and 88% relative humidity (RH)] due to the presence of the acidic imidazolium cations and free water molecules. The similarity of the structure of compound 2 to that of the previously reported analogous compound (NH 4 ) 4 [MnCr 2 (ox) 6 ]·4H 2 O, (1), also allows us to analyse, to a certain extent, the effect of the acidity of the proton donating guest molecules on proton conduction properties. 2 hosts, in one-dimensional (1D) channels, imidazolium cations, which are more acidic than the ammonium ones in 1 and, as a consequence, 2 shows higher proton conduction than 1, highlighting the effect of the pK a of the proton donating guest molecules on proton conductivity.

We herein present the synthesis and magneto-structural study of a new family of heterobimetallic chains of general formula {[Fe(III)(dmbpy)(CN)(4)](2)M(II)(H(2)O)(2)}(n)·pnH(2)O [dmbpy = 4,4'-dimethyl-2,2'-bipyridine; M = Mn (2), Cu (3), Ni (4) and Co (5) with p = 4 (2), 3 (3), 9 (4) and 3.5 (5)] which were prepared by using the mononuclear PPh(4)[Fe(III)(dmbpy)(CN)(4)]·3H(2)O (1) building block (PPh(4)(+) = tetraphenylphosphonium) as a ligand toward fully solvated M(II) ions. The structure of 1 consists of discrete [Fe(III)(dmbpy)(CN)(4)](-) anions, tetraphenylphosphonium cations and noncoordinated water molecules. Complexes 2-5 are isostructural compounds whose structure consists of neutral 4,2-wave like heterobimetallic chains of formula {[Fe(III)(dmbpy)(CN)(4)](2)M(II)(H(2)O)(2)}(n) where the [Fe(III)(dmbpy)(CN)(4)](-) entity adopts a bis-monodentate coordination mode toward trans-[M(II)(H(2)O)(2)] units through two of its four cyanide groups in cis positions. 1 exhibits the magnetic behaviour of magnetically isolated six-coordinate low-spin Fe(III) complexes with an important orbital contribution. 2 behaves as ferrimagnetic Fe(III)(2)Mn(II) chains, whereas 3-5 exhibit intrachain ferromagnetic couplings between the low-spin Fe(III) and either Cu(II) (3), Ni (4) or Co(II) (5) as well as frequency-dependence of the out-of-phase ac susceptibility signals below 3.0 (3), 5.5 (4) and 5.0 K (5). The relaxation time and the energy to reverse the magnetization of 3-5 are related to the anisotropy of the M(II) center and to the intra- and interchain magnetic interactions. Unprecedentedly in the world of cyanide-bearing complexes, 5 exhibits a double slow relaxation of the magnetization.

Two new digadolinium(III) complexes with monocarboxylate ligands, [Gd2(pac)6(H2O)4] (1) and [Gd2(tpac)6(H2O)4] (2) (Hpac = pentanoic acid and Htpac = 3-thiopheneacetic acid), have been prepared and their structures determined by X-ray diffraction on single crystals. Their structures consist of neutral and isolated digadolinium(III) units, containing six monocarboxylate ligands and four coordinated water molecules, the bridging skeleton being built by a muO(1):kappa2O(1)O(2) framework. This structural pattern has already been observed in the parent acetate-containing compound [Gd2(ac)6(H2O)4] x 4 H2O (3) whose structure and magnetic properties were reported elsewhere (L. Cañadillas-Delgado, O. Fabelo, J. Cano, J. Pasán, F. S. Delgado, M. Julve, F. Lloret and C. Ruiz-Pérez, CrystEngComm, 2009, 11, 2131). Each gadolinium(III) ion in 1 and 2 is nine-coordinated with seven carboxylate-oxygen atoms from four pac (1)/tpac (2) ligands and two water molecules (1 and 2) building a distorted monocapped square antiprism. The values of the intramolecular gadolinium-gadolinium separation are 4.1215(5) (1), 4.1255(6) (2) and 4.1589(3) A (3) and those of the angle at the oxo-carboxylate bridge (theta) are 113.16(13) (1), 112.5(2) (2) and 115.47(7) degrees (3). Magnetic susceptibility measurements in the temperature range 1.9-300 K reveal the occurrence of a weak intramolecular antiferromagnetic interaction [J = -0.032(1) (1) and -0.012(1) cm(-1) (2), the Hamiltonian being defined as H = -JS(A) x S(B)] in contrast with the intramolecular ferromagnetic coupling which occurs in 3 (J = +0.031(1) cm(-1)). The magneto-structural data of 1-3 show the relevance of the geometrical parameters at the muO(1):kappa2O(1)O(2) bridge on the nature of the magnetic coupling between two gadolinium(III) ions.

Homo- and heterometallic octanuclear complexes of formula Na₂{[Cu₂(mpba)₃][Cu(Me₅dien)]₆}-(ClO₄)₆·12H₂O (1), Na₂{[Cu₂(Mempba)₃][Cu(Me₅dien)]₆}(ClO₄)₆·12H₂O (2), Na₂{[Ni₂(mpba)₃]-[Cu(Me₅dien)]₆}(ClO₄)₆·12H₂O (3), Na₂{[Ni₂(Mempba)₃][Cu(Me₅dien)]₆}(ClO₄)₆·9H₂O (4), {[Ni₂(mpba)₃][Ni(dipn)(H₂O)]₆}(ClO₄)₄·12.5H₂O (5), and {[Ni₂(Mempba)₃][Ni(dipn)-(H₂O)]₆}(ClO₄)₄·12H₂O (6) [mpba = 1,3-phenylenebis(oxamate), Mempba = 4-methyl-1,3-phenylenebis(oxamate), Me₅dien = N,N,N',N'',N''-pentamethyldiethylenetriamine, and dipn = dipropylenetriamine] have been synthesized through the "complex-as-ligand/complex-as-metal" strategy. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction analyses of 1, 3, and 5 show cationic M(II)₂M'(II)₆ entities (M, M' = Cu and Ni) with an overall double-star architecture, which is made up of two oxamato-bridged M(II)M'(II)₃ star units connected through three meta-phenylenediamidate bridges between the two central metal atoms leading to a binuclear metallacryptand core of the meso-helicate-type. Dc magnetic susceptibility data for 1-6 in the temperature range 2-300 K have been analyzed through a "dimer-of-tetramers" model [H = - J(S(1A)·S(3A) + S(1A)·S(4A) + S(1A)·S(5A) + S(2B)·S(6B) + S(2B)·S(7B) + S(2B)·S(8B)) - J'S(1A)·S(2B), with S(1A) = S(2B) = S(M) and S(3A) = S(4A) = S(5A) = S(6B) = S(7B) = S(8B) = S(M')]. The moderate to strong antiferromagnetic coupling between the M(II) and M'(II) ions through the oxamate bridge in 1-6 (-J(Cu-Cu) = 52.0-57.0 cm⁻¹, -J(Ni-Cu) = 39.1-44.7 cm⁻¹, and -J(Ni-Ni) = 26.3-26.6 cm⁻¹) leads to a non-compensation of the ground spin state for the tetranuclear M(II)M'(II)₃ star units [S(A) = S(B) = 3S(M') - S(M) = 1 (1 and 2), 1/2 (3 and 4), and 2 (5 and 6)]. Within the binuclear M(II)₂ meso-helicate cores of 1-4, a moderate to weak antiferromagnetic coupling between the M(II) ions (-J'(Cu-Cu) = 28.0-48.0 cm⁻¹ and -J'(Ni-Ni) = 0.16-0.97 cm⁻¹) is mediated by the triple m-phenylenediamidate bridge to give a ground spin singlet (S = S(A) - S(B) = 0) state for the octanuclear M(II)₂Cu(II)₆ molecule. Instead, a weak ferromagnetic coupling between the Ni(II) ions (J'(Ni-Ni) = 2.07-3.06 cm⁻¹) operates in the binuclear Ni(II)₂ meso-helicate core of 5 and 6 leading thus to a ground spin nonet (S = S(A) + S(B) = 4) state for the octanuclear Ni(II)₈ molecule. Dc magnetization data for 5 reveal a small but non-negligible axial magnetic anisotropy (D = -0.23 cm⁻¹) of the S = 4 Ni(II)₈ ground state with an estimated value of the energy barrier for magnetization reversal of 3.7 cm⁻¹ (U = -DS²). Ac magnetic susceptibility data for 5 show an unusual slow magnetic relaxation behaviour at low temperatures which is typical of "cluster glasses". The temperature dependence of the relaxation time for 5 has been interpreted on the basis of the Vogel-Fulcher law for weakly interacting clusters, with values of 2.5 K, 1.4 × 10⁻⁶ s, and 4.0 cm⁻¹ for the intermolecular interaction parameter (T₀), the pre-exponential factor (τ₀), and the effective energy barrier (U(eff)), respectively.