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

A series of tetranuclear lanthanide compounds, [Ln(4)((3)-OH)(2)L-4(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 Ln(III) ions have very deep influence on the luminescence of H2L. The magnetic properties for 1-4 were studied. The Dy-4 complex exhibits single-molecule magnet behavior.