Recent advance in heterometallic nanomagnets based on TMxLn4-x cubane subunits

3d-4f cubane-like complexes exhibit unique structural pattern, thus become a fascinating subclass of 3d-4f complexes. In this review, we first present the structural classification and the possible synthetic strategies towards this peculiar structure, then we focus on its magnetic properties. Inside a cubane core, spin carriers are forced to be near each other yielding significant d-d, d-f, and f-f magnetic exchanges which are summarized. As multinuclear complexes, 3d-4f cubane clusters could be applied for the magnetocaloric effect (MCE), especially with the isotropic Mn-II and Gd-III ions. Then their single-molecule magnet (SMM) properties are described. We collect reported 3d-4f cubane complexes and attempt to demonstrate the correlations of magnetic exchange, MCE, and SMM properties. (C) 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.