A Pair of Multifunctional Cu(II)-Dy(III) Enantiomers with Zero-Field Single-Molecule Magnet Behaviors, Proton Conduction Properties and Magneto-Optical Faraday Effects.

Multifunctional materials with a coexistence of proton conduction properties, single-molecule magnet (SMM) behaviors and magneto-optical Faraday effects have rarely been reported. Herein, a new pair of Cu(II)-Dy(III) enantiomers, [DyCu ₂ ( RR/SS -H ₂ L) ₂ (H ₂ O) ₄ (NO ₃ ) ₂ ]·(NO ₃ )·(H ₂ O) ( R - 1 and S - 1 ) (H ₄ L = [ RR / SS ] -N,N'-bis [3-hydroxysalicylidene] -1,2-cyclohexanediamine), has been designed and prepared using homochiral Schiff-base ligands. R - 1 and S - 1 contain linear Cu(II)-Dy(III)-Cu(II) trinuclear units and possess 1D stacking channels within their supramolecular networks. R - 1 and S - 1 display chiral optical activity and strong magneto-optical Faraday effects. Moreover, R - 1 shows a zero-field SMM behavior. In addition, R - 1 demonstrates humidity- and temperature-dependent proton conductivity with optimal values of 1.34 × 10 ^-4 S·cm ^-1 under 50 °C and 98% relative humidity (RH), which is related to a 1D extended H-bonded chain constructed by water molecules, nitrate and phenol groups of the RR -H ₂ L ligand.