A (Mn2NiII)-Ni-III single-chain magnet separated by a thick isolating network of BPh4- anions

The assembly reaction of a Mn(III) salen-type dimeric complex, [Mn-2(III)(saltmen)(2)(H2O)(2)](ClO4)(2) (saltmen(2-) = N, N' -( 1,1,2,2- tetramethylethylene)bis(salycylideneiminate)), and a Ni(II) oximato complex, [Ni-II( pao)(2)(phen)] ( pao(-) = pyridine-2-aldoximate; phen = 1,10-phenanthroline), in the presence of NaBPh4 yielded a heterometallic chain of [Mn-2(III)( saltmen)(2)Ni-II(pao)(2)(phen)](BPh4)(2) (Mn2Ni-BPh4) having a [-Mn-III-ON-Ni-II-NO-Mn-III-(OPh)(2)-] repeating unit surrounded by a zeolite-like network of BPh4- anions. Thanks to such bulky ion-walls, each chain is not only structurally separated with a nearest inter-chain metal center dot center dot center dot metal distance of 14.4 angstrom ( Mn center dot center dot center dot Ni) but also magnetically extremely well isolated. This magnetic isolation and the ferromagnetic interactions between S = 3 anisotropic units constituting the chain play key roles that induce single-chain magnet behavior in this system.