Russian Doll-like 3d-4f Cluster Wheels with Slow Relaxation of Magnetization

The solvothermal reactions of LnCl(3)& BULL;6H(2)O and MCl2 & BULL;6H(2)O (M = Co, Ni) with 2,2 & PRIME;-diphenol (H2L1) and 5,7-dichloro-8-hydroxyquinoline (HL2) gave three 3d-4f heterometallic wheel-like nano-clusters [Ln(7)M(6)(L-1)(6)(L-2)(6)(& mu;(3)-OH)(6)(OCH3)(6)Cl(CH3CN)(6)]Cl-2 & BULL;xH(2)O (Ln = Dy, M = Co, x = 3 for 1; Ln = Dy, M = Ni, x = 0 for 2; Ln = Tb, M = Ni, x = 0 for 3) with similar cluster structure. The innermost Ln(III) ion is encapsulated in a planar Ln(6) ring which is further embedded in a chair-conformation M-6 ring, constructing a Russian doll-like 3d-4f cluster wheel Ln(III)⸦Ln(6)⸦M-6. 2 and 3 show obvious slow magnetic relaxation behavior with negligible opening of the magnetic hysteresis loop. Such a Russian doll-like 3d-4f cluster wheel with the lanthanide disc isolated by transition metallo-ring is rarely reported.

Automated summary

In this study, a Russian doll-like 3d-4f metal cluster with similar structure was obtained through a solvothermal reaction. The innermost Ln(III) ion is encapsulated in a planar Ln(6) ring, which is further embedded in a surrounding M-6 ring.