Design and Synthesis of Lanthanide Single-Molecule Magnets Using the Schiff Base Approach

Abstract

Single-Molecule Magnets (SMMs) are discrete molecules that exhibit slow relaxation of magnetization. Unlike conventional magnets that rely on the long range magnetic ordering in the form of domains, these molecules act as magnets independently, that is without the influence of neighbouring molecules. SMMs have intrigued physicists and chemists alike for over twenty years with their potential future applications in data storage quantum computing, and with this communal interest there has been significant collaboration between the two fields of research. SMMs have brought forth an opportunity for coordination chemists to muster their creativity and synthetic expertise in the rational design and development of these magnetic materials. From these new and fascinating compounds, both experimental and theoretical physicists have sought to develop and refine our understanding of the aspects of these molecular magnets in order to improve their performance at higher temperatures. In this work, new topologies for lanthanide complexes are explored using a novel Schiff base ligand. The magnetic properties of dinuclear, tetranuclear and octanuclear lanthanide complexes are discussed and correlated to their structural properties. The rational design of tetrazine-based Schiff base ligands for magnetic studies is also discussed in hopes of developing high performance SMMs.