Precision Chemical Design for Reticular Spintronics

Abstract

The development of spin functionalities depends critically on magnetic materials in which spin states, exchange pathways, and transport properties can be precisely engineered at the atomic level. Reticular chemistry provides a modular and programmable platform to meet this need by enabling rigorous control over the composition, connectivity, and topology within periodic frameworks. At the intersection of these two fields, reticular spintronics exploits chemical precision to systematically modulate spin-active centers and exchange interactions while incorporating stimuli-responsive components for dynamic control. In this review, we discuss how reticular architectures can translate molecular design principles into tunable spintronic behaviors in metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) and covalent organic frameworks (COFs) to highlight complementary design features. By linking microscopic coordination chemistry to macroscopic spin phenomena, these frameworks offer a versatile route to predictable control over spin-polarized transport and collective magnetism. These insights establish a design-oriented framework for engineering spin in reticular framework-based systems and guide the development of chemically programmable spin materials.