Synthesis, structures and magnetic properties of heterometallic Mn2IIILn2III tetranuclear complexes

Four isostructural heterometallic Mn-Ln tetranuclear complexes of formula [Mn(2)(III)Ln(2)(bdea)(2)(bdeaH)(2) x (piv)(6)] center dot 2MeCN (Ln=La (1), Ce (2), Pr (3) and Nd (4)), where bdeaH(2) is N-butyldiethanolamine and (piv)(-) is pivalate, are reported. X-ray crystallographic structure analysis shows that complexes 1-4 are centrosymmetric with a butterfly core. The magnetic susceptibilities (dc and ac) for all these complexes have been measured. Slow relaxation of the magnetization is observed in compounds 2 and 4. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.