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The quasi-two-dimensional antiferromagnet CsDy(MoO₄)₂ is studied by neutron diffraction and quasielastic neutron scattering. The crystal structure of two low-temperature phases (below 120 K and below 40 K) is determined. An approximate structure of the magnetically ordered phase (TN = 1.36 K) is proposed. In the ordered state the order-parameter critical exponent β = 0.17(0.01), the in-plane correlation length exponent ν = 0.94(0.07), and the staggered susceptibility critical index γ= 1.01(0.04) were determined. Comparing these results to the exact solution for a 2D Ising magnet we conclude that, although 2D behavior is apparent in CsDy(MoO₄)₂, there are deviations from the simple 2D Ising model.

Experimental organometallic gold(I) compounds hold promise for anticancer therapy. This study reports the synthesis of two novel families of gold(I) complexes, including N1-substituted bis-N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) complexes of general formula [Au(N1-TBM) 2]BF 4 (N1-TBM = N1-substituted 9-methyltheobromin-8-ylidene) and mixed gold(I) NHC-alkynyl complexes, [Au(N1-TBM)alkynyl]. The compounds were fully characterised for their structure and stability in aqueous environment and in the presence of N-acetyl cysteine by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. The structures of bis(1-ethyl-3,7,9-trimethylxanthin-8-ylidene)gold(I), (4-ethynylpyridine)(1,9-dimethyltheobromine-8-ylidene)gold(I) and of (2,8-Diethyl-10-(4-ethynylphenyl)-5,5-difluoro-1,3,7,9-tetramethyl-5H-4λ 4,5λ 4-dipyrrolo[1,2-c:2′,1′-f][1,3,2]diazaborinine)(1,3,7,9-tetramethylxanthin-8-ylidene)gold(I) were also confirmed by X-ray diffraction analysis. The compounds were studied for their properties as DNA G-quadruplex (G4 s) stabilizers by fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) DNA melting. Only the cationic [Au(N1-TBM) 2]BF 4 family showed moderate G4 stabilization properties with respect to the previously reported benchmark compound [Au(9-methylcaffein-8-ylidene) 2] + (AuTMX 2). However, the compounds also showed marked selectivity for binding to G4 structures with respect to duplex DNA in competition experiments. For selected complexes, the interactions with G4 s were also confirmed by circular dichroism (CD) studies. Furthermore, the gold(I) complexes were assessed for their antiproliferative effects in human cancer cells in vitro, displaying moderate activity. Of note, among the mixed gold(I) NHC-alkynyl compounds, one features a fluorescent boron-dipyrromethene (BODIPY) moiety which allowed determining its uptake into the cytoplasm of cancer cells by fluorescence microscopy.