Magnetic Excitations in Tetrameric Clusters of Polyoxometalates Observed by Inelastic Neutron Scattering. Evidence for Anisotropic Exchange Interactions in Cobalt(II) Clusters

Abstract

Magnetic excitations in tetranuclear clusters of exchange-coupled metal ions encapsulated by polyoxotungstate ligands (1) have been observed by inelastic neutron scattering (INS) in the salts K10[M4(H2O)2(PW9O34)2]·nH2O, where M2+ = Mn, Co, and Ni. INS provides a much deeper and more detailed insight into the nature of the magnetic coupling in these clusters than bulk techniques. In particular, anisotropic exchange interactions are evidenced in the ferromagnetic Co4 cluster.