Natural and magnetic optical activity of 2-D chiral cyanido-bridged MnII–NbIV molecular ferrimagnets

Abstract

Unique two dimensional enantiopure cyanido-bridged {[Mn(II)(R-mpm)2]2[Nb(IV)(CN)8]}·4H2O and {[Mn(II)(S-mpm)2]2[Nb(IV)(CN)8]}·4H2O (-S) (mpm = α-methyl-2-pyridine-methanol) ferrimagnets with TC = 23.5 K were synthesized and characterized. They reveal natural optical activity (NOA) due to the chiral crystal structure, and magnetic optical activity (MOA) in the presence of an external magnetic field, with the strong enhancement in the magnetically ordered phase below TC.