Abstract

The initial employment of 1,3-propanediol (pdH2) in the synthesis of 3d/4f metal clusters has afforded a new family of tetranuclear [Mn₂Ln₂O₂{(CH₃)₃CCO₂}₈{(CH₃)₃CCO₂H}₂(pdH₂)₂] (Ln = Dy, 1; Gd, 2; Ho, 3) complexes. Compounds 1-3 represent new additions to the small family of Mn^III ₂Ln₂ clusters possessing planar or diamond-like cores. Variable-temperature, dc and ac magnetization measurements were performed on compounds 1-3 and revealed the existence of very weak antiferromagnetic exchange interactions between the metal centers leading to a ground state spin value S = 5 in case of 2·2(CH₃)₃CCO₂H·2H₂O.

Keywords: 1, 3-propanediol, 3d/4f clusters, crystal structures, magnetic properties.