A dual shell-like heptadecanuclearity [Gd5Ni12] cluster with ferromagnetic interaction and large magnetocaloric effect

A new dual shell-like heptadecanuclearity [Gd5Ni12(Pro)(9)(CMP)(6)(mu(3)-OH)(9)(mu(2)-OH)(3)(H2O)(3)]center dot Cl-6 center dot 23H(2)O (1) cluster with proline (HPro) and N-carboxymethyl-L-proline (H2CMP) as coligands has been successfully synthesized and characterized. The compound consists of rare trigonal bipyramid {Gd-5} core and triangular orthobicupola {Ni-12} outer shell. The magnetic studies reveal that 1 shows ferromagnetic interactions and a large magnetocaloric effect (22.4 J kg(-1) K-1, Delta H = 7 T). (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.