Enhancing the single-molecule magnet performance of β-diketonate Dy(III) complexes by modulating the coordination microenvironment and magnetic interaction: from mononuclear to dinuclear structure

Based on a β-diketonate ligand, a mononuclear Dy(III) complex, [Dy(dmpd)3(bpy)] (1) (dmpd = 4,4-dimethyl-1-phenylpentane-1,3-dione, bpy = 2,2'-dipyridyl), of [DyN2O6] type has been synthesized with a capping nitrogen-containing coligand. Then, a dual capping coligand 2,2′-bipyrimidine (bmp) is introduced to be a bridge to link two β-diketonate-Dy(III) motifs, leading to a new dinuclear Dy(III) complex, [Dy2(dmpd)6(bmp)] (2). Dy(III) centers in both complexes feature an N2O6 octacoordinated environment with approximate square-antiprism geometry (D4d). Without a dc field, SMM behaviour is absent in complex 1, but can be clearly observed in dinuclear 2 with a Ueff of 87.29 K. The significantly improved magnetism arising in 2 is mainly due to the modulation of the coordination environment around the Dy(III) ions, and the superexchange magnetic interactions inside the dinuclear units, thus allowing for the effective inhibition of the quantum tunneling of magnetization at low temperatures and promotion of the uniaxial magnetic anisotropy. For 1, a diamagnetic Y(III) analogue [Y(dmpd)3(bpy)] (3) and diluted sample 1@Y were constructed to further perform the dilution experiment, coupling with theoretical calculations further support that the synergetic contributions of intermolecular dipole-dipole interaction, intramolecular coupling and uniaxial magnetic anisotropy cause the enhancement of the dynamic magnetic relaxation.