Linear trinuclear cobalt(II) single molecule magnet

The introduction of NaBPh(4) into a methanolic solution of CoCl(2)·(6)H(2)O and 2-[(pyridine-2-ylimine)-methyl]phenol (Hpymp) afforded {[Co(II)(3)(pymp)(4)(MeOH)(2)][BPh(4)](2)}·(2)MeOH (1) with a centro-symmetrically linear trinuclear structure. Magnetic analysis of 1 exhibited significant intracluster ferromagnetic exchange (2.4 cm(-1)) and slow relaxation of magnetization in both zero and non-zero static fields below 5 K, giving the first [Co(II)(3)] single molecule magnet with an effective energy barrier of 17.2(3) cm(-1) under a 500 Oe dc field.