In this review, aspects of the syntheses, structures and magnetic properties of giant 3d and 3d/4f paramagnetic metal clusters in moderate oxidation states are discussed. The term "giant clusters" is used herein to denote metal clusters with nuclearity of 30 or greater. Many synthetic strategies towards such species have been developed and are discussed in this paper. Attempts are made to categorize some of the most successful methods to giant clusters, but it will be pointed out that the characteristics of the crystal structures of such compounds including nuclearity, shape, architecture, etc. are unpredictable depending on the specific structural features of the included organic ligands, reaction conditions and other factors. The majority of the described compounds in this review are of special interest not only for their fascinating nanosized structures but also because they sometimes display interesting magnetic phenomena, such as ferromagnetic exchange interactions, large ground state spin values, single-molecule magnetism behaviour or impressively large magnetocaloric effects. In addition, they often possess the properties of both the quantum and the classical world, and thus their systematic study offers the potential for the discovery of new physical phenomena, as well as a better understanding of the existing ones. The research field of giant clusters is under continuous evolution and their intriguing structural characteristics and magnetism properties that attract the interest of synthetic Inorganic Chemists promise a brilliant future for this class of compounds.

The current intense interest in polynuclear clusters stems not only from their aesthetically pleasing structures, magnetic interactions, and magnetostructural correlations, but also from the discovery that some function as nanoscale magnetic particles, or single-molecule magnets (SMMs).[1] Below their blocking temperature (T B ), such molecules behave as magnets and exhibit hysteresis in scans of magnetization versus dc field. This behavior results from the combination of a large ground spin state (S) with a large and negative (easy-axis type) magnetoanisotropy. SMMs have several potential applications, including high-density information storage, in which each bit of information is stored as the magnetization orientation of an individual molecule, and quantum computation, in which the molecules can serve as qubits.Although there are many known species displaying SMM behavior, [1][2][3][4][5] most of which are manganese-carboxylate complexes, [3][4][5] there is a continuing need for new SMMs. One of the most successful synthetic approaches to new polynuclear clusters involves the use of chelating ligands containing alkoxide functions, since these are good bridging groups and, thus, favor the formation of polynuclear products.[4] Recently, we have been investigating the use of 1,3-propanediol (H 2 pd) and 2-methyl-1,3-propanediol (H 2 mpd) in manganese-carboxylate chemistry. Herein, we report the syntheses, crystal structures, and magnetic properties of two new 3D coordination polymers based on [Mn 19 Na(m 4 -O) 9 (m 3 -[*] Dr.

A [Mn(III)(11)Mn(II)(6)(mu(4)-O)(8)(mu(3)-L)(4)](25+) (L = N(3)(-) or OCN(-)) octahedral unit is reported, occurring within 1D (1)(infinity) and 2D (2)(infinity) coordination polymers, as well as the corresponding 0D discrete cluster 3. It possesses a giant ground-state spin value, determined in the case of 3 to be S = 37, the second largest to be reported to date. In addition, compound 3 displays single-molecule magnet (SMM) behavior, and is thus the largest-spin SMM.

The syntheses, crystal structures, and magnetic properties of a new family of heterometallic Mn(40)Na(4) and homometallic Mn(44) loop-of-loops aggregates are reported. The reactions of [Mn(3)O(O(2)CMe)(6)(py)(3)]·py with 1,3-propanediol (pdH(2)) and 2-methyl-1,3-propanediol (mpdH(2)) in the presence of NaN(3) afforded [Mn(10)Na(μ(3)-O)(2)(O(2)CMe)(13)(pd)(6)(py)(2)](4) (1)(4) and [Mn(10)Na(μ(3)-O)(2)(O(2)CMe)(13)(mpd)(6)(py)(H(2)O)](4) (2)(4), respectively. Mn(40)Na(4) complexes (1)(4) and (2)(4) consist of four Mn(10) loops linked through Na(+) ions to give a supramolecular aggregate with a saddle-like topology. Magnetic characterization of compound (1)(4) showed that each Mn(10) loop has an S = 4 ground-state spin and displays frequency-dependent in-phase and out-of-phase ac susceptibility signals. It also exhibits hysteresis loops that, however, are not typical of single-molecule magnets (SMMs) due to the existence of interloop interactions between the neighboring Mn(10) units of (1)(4) through the diamagnetic Na(+) ions, and also intermolecular interactions between different Mn(40)Na(4) aggregates. The magnetically discrete Mn(44) analogue was targeted with high priority and finally prepared from the reaction of [Mn(3)O(O(2)CMe)(6)(py)(3)]·py with pdH(2) in the presence of Mn(ClO(4))(2)·6H(2)O. The loop-of-loops structure of [Mn(44)(μ(3)-O)(8)(O(2)CMe)(52)(pd)(24)(py)(8)](ClO(4))(OH)(3) (3) is essentially identical to those of (1)(4) and (2)(4), with the most significant difference being that the four Na(+) ions of (1)(4) and (2)(4) have been replaced with Mn(2+) ions. Compound 3 is thus best described magnetically as a Mn(44) cluster. In accord with this description and the stronger exchange coupling between the four Mn(10) loops expected through the connecting Mn(2+) ions, magnetic susceptibility measurements revealed that 3 has an S = 6 ground-state spin and displays frequency-dependent in-phase and out-of-phase ac signals. Magnetization vs dc field sweeps on single-crystals of 3 displayed scan rate- and temperature-dependent hysteresis loops confirming that complex 3 is a new SMM, and is thus the second largest Mn cluster and SMM reported to date.

A series of new Zn2+-trimesate (btc3‑) metal organic frameworks (MOFs) has been isolated in the presence of various amino-alcohols under solvothermal conditions. Thus, the reaction of ZnCl2 with trimesic acid (H3btc) and the amino-alcohols triethanolamine (teoa), 2-(hydroxymethyl)piperidine (hmpip), N-tert-butyldiethanolamine (tbdeoa), 1,4-bis(2-hydroxyethyl)piperazine (bhep), N-methyldiethanolamine (mdeoa), or 4-(2-hydroxyethyl)morpholine (hem) in a 1.6:1:5.6 molar ratio in DMF afforded compounds (teoaH)2[Zn(btc)1.33] (MOAAF-1) (MOAAF = metal organic amino-alcohol framework), (NH2Me2)2(hmpipH)[Zn3(btc)3] (MOAAF-2), (NH2Me2)(tbdmaH)2[Zn3(btc)3] (MOAAF-3) (tbdma = N-tert-butyl-dimethylamine), (NH2Me2)(bhepH2)[Zn3(btc)3] (MOAAF-4), (NH2Me2)[Zn4(btc)3(mdeoa)2] (MOAAF-5), and (NH2Me2)[Zn4(btc)3(hem)2] (MOAAF-6), respectively. The compounds display 3D structures with relatively large cavities (4–10 Å) and high potential solvent-accessible areas (38–68% of the unit cell volumes). A number of novel structural features are revealed in the reported MOFs, such as unprecedented dinuclear [Zn2(COO)5]−1 secondary building units (SBUs) and unique network topologies (e.g., in compounds MOAAF-2, MOAAF-3, MOAAF-5, and MOAAF-6). The amino-alcohols employed played a key role for the appearance of such novel structural features in MOAAF 1–6 since they were found to act as bases responsible for the deprotonation of H3btc, templates, and chelating ligands. Specifically, most of the compounds synthesized were shown to be templated by protonated amino-alcohols that are involved in hydrogen bonding interactions with the frameworks, whereas in two cases (compounds MOAAF-5 and MOAAF-6) the amino-alcohols acted as chelating ligands affecting significantly the underline topology of the MOFs. The thermal stability and photoluminescence properties of the MOFs are also discussed. This work represents the initial systematic investigation on the use of combination of amino-alcohols and polycarboxylate ligands for the synthesis of new MOFs, demonstrating it as a powerful synthetic strategy for the isolation of novel MOFs.

The stereoisomer Δ-cis-[Ph2Sn(CIP)2] (CIPTIN) was obtained from ciprofloxacin and DPTC. CIPTIN exhibits stronger activity than that of ciprofloxacin against Gram positive or negative bacteria.

Four heterometallic, enneanuclear Mn8Ce clusters [Mn8CeO8(O2CMe)12(H2O)4] (4), [Mn8CeO8(O2CMe)12(py)4] (5), [Mn8CeO8(O2CPh)12(MeCN)4] [Mn8CeO8(O2CPh)12(dioxane)4] (6), and [Mn8CeO8(O2CCHPh2)12(H2O)4] (7) have been prepared by various methods. Their cores are essentially isostructural and comprise a nonplanar, saddlelike [MnIII8O8]8+ loop containing a central CeIV ion attached to the eight micro3-O2- ions. Peripheral ligation around the [Mn8CeO8]12+ core is provided by eight micro- and four micro3-O2CR- groups. Terminal ligation on four MnIII atoms is provided by H2O in 4 and 7, pyridine in 5, and MeCN/dioxane in 6. Solid-state magnetic susceptibility studies, fits of dc magnetization vs field and temperature data, and in-phase ac susceptibility studies in a zero dc field have established that complexes 4, 5, and 7 possess S=16, S=4 or 5, and S=6+/-1 spin ground states, respectively, but in all cases there are very low-lying excited states. The large variation in the ground-state spins for this isostructural family is rationalized as due to a combination of weak exchange interactions between the constituent MnIII atoms, and the presence of both nearest-neighbor and next-nearest-interactions of comparable magnitudes. Magnetization vs applied dc field sweeps on single crystals of 4.4H2O and 7.4H2O.3MeCN.2CH2Cl2 down to 0.04 K have established that these two complexes are new single-molecule magnets (SMMs). The former also shows an exchange-bias, a perturbation of its single-molecule properties from very weak intermolecular interactions mediated by hydrogen-bonding interactions with lattice-water molecules of crystallization.

The employment of the dianion (dpkd(2-)) of the gem-diol form of di-2-pyridylketone (dpk) as a tetradentate chelate in manganese chemistry is reported, and the synthesis, crystal structure, and magnetochemical characterization of [Mn26O16(OMe)12(dpkd)12(MeOH)6](OH)6 x solv (3 x solv) are described. The reaction of Mn(ClO4)2 x 6 H2O, dpk, NaOMe, and NEt3 (2:1:4:2) in MeCN/MeOH affords complex 3, which possesses a rare metal topology and is mixed-valence (4 Mn(II), 22 Mn(III)). The complicated [Mn26(mu4-O)10(mu3-O)6(mu3-OMe)12(mu-OR)12](18+) core of 3 consists of an internal Mn(III)16 cage of adjacent Mn4 tetrahedra surrounded by an external Mn(II)4Mn(III)6 shell. The latter is held together by the alkoxide arms of twelve eta(1):eta(2):eta(1):eta(1):mu3 dpkd(2-) groups. Variable-temperature, solid-state direct current (dc), and alternating current (ac) magnetization studies were carried out on 3 in the 1.8-300 K range. Complex 3 is predominantly antiferromagnetically coupled with a resulting S = 6 ground state, a conclusion confirmed by the in-phase (chi'(M)) ac susceptibility data. The observation of out-of-phase (chi''(M)) ac susceptibility signals suggested that 3 might be a single-molecule magnet, and this was confirmed by single-crystal magnetization vs dc field sweeps that exhibited hysteresis, the diagnostic property of a magnet. Combined ac chi''(M) and magnetization decay vs time data collected below 1.1 K were used to construct an Arrhenius plot; the fit of the thermally activated region above approximately 0.1 K gave U(eff) = 30 K, where U(eff) is the effective relaxation barrier. At lower temperatures, the complex exhibits temperature-independent relaxation, characteristic of ground-state quantum tunneling of magnetization between the lowest-lying M(s) = +/-6 levels. The combined work demonstrates the ligating flexibility of dipyridyl-diolate chelates and their usefulness in the synthesis of polynuclear Mn(x) clusters with interesting magnetic properties, without requiring the co-presence of carboxylate ligands.