A series of tetranuclear [Ln₄] clusters with defect-dicubane cores including a Dy₄ single-molecule magnet

Abstract

A series of tetranuclear lanthanide compounds, [Ln4(μ3-OH)2L4(NO3)2(DMF)2] (H2L = 2-(2-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzylideneamino)phenol; Ln = Dy (1); Tb (2); Er (3); and Gd (4)), have been prepared under hydrothermal conditions. X-ray crystal structure analysis reveals that 1–4 are polymorphs. The cores of the structures can be described as co-planar defect-dicubane. The solid-state luminescent properties indicate that the LnIII ions have very deep influence on the luminescence of H2L. The magnetic properties for 1–4 were studied. The Dy4 complex exhibits single-molecule magnet behavior.