Redox switch-off of the ferromagnetic coupling in a mixed-spin tricobalt(II) triple mesocate.

A prelude to redox-based, ferromagnetic "metal-organic switches" is exemplified by a new trinuclear oxalamide cobalt triple mesocate that presents two redox states (ON and OFF) with dramatically different magnetic properties; the two terminal high-spin d(7) Co(II) ions (S = (3)/(2)) that are ferromagnetically coupled in the homovalent tricobalt(II) reduced state (2) become uncoupled in the heterovalent tricobalt(II,III,II) oxidized state (2(ox)) upon one-electron oxidation of the central low-spin d(7) Co(II) ion (S = (1)/(2)) to a low-spin d(6) Co(III) ion (S = 0).