A large discrete face-capped tetranuclear iron(II) cage, [Fe 4 L 4 ](BF 4 ) 8 Án(solvent), was synthesised via metal-ion directed self-assembly. The cage is formed from a rigid tritopic ligand that incorporates chelating imidazole-imine functional groups. The cage displays temperature induced spin-crossover and LIESST effects and is amongst the largest iron(II) tetrahedral cages with such properties reported. The synthesis, structure and magnetic properties of this new metallo-cage are presented.

Graphene (rGO) based hybrid material exhibiting electrical conductivity and spin crossover (SCO) behavior is reported. The non-conductive [Fe(qnal)2]nGO (1· GO) and [Fe(qsal)2]nGO (2· GO) hybrids have been prepared by employing the electrostatic interaction between the negatively charged graphene oxide (GO) nanosheet and the respective iron(III) complex cations in [Fe(qnal)2] + Cland [Fe(qsal)2] + Cl -. The conductive [Fe(qnal)2]nrGO (1· rGO) and [Fe(qsal)2]nrGO (2· rGO) hybrids were obtained by thermal reduction of 1· GO and 2· GO. 1· GO and 1· rGO exhibit SCO behavior, and 1· rGO also shows a light induced excited spin state trapping (LIESST) effect. Thus, in 1· rGO the electrical conductivity of rGO and the SCO behavior of [Fe(qnal)2] + coexist in a single structure. We propose that the observed cooperativity for the rGO nanosheet-bound iron(III) [Fe(qnal)2] + SCO material occurs through formation of large domains via π-π stacking between the graphene skeleton and the [Fe(qnal)2] + cations.

Chiral iron(II) complexes, [Fe{(R)-L} 2 (NCS) 2 ] (1) and [Fe{(S)-L} 2 (NCS) 2 ] (2), and racemic complex [Fe(rac)-L) 2 (NCS) 2 ] (3) {L = α-methyl-N-(2-pyridinylmethylene)cyclohexanemethan-amine} were synthesized. Their structures and magnetic properties were investigated by X-ray crystallography, magnetic susceptibility measurements, and Mössbauer spectroscopy. Complexes 1 and 2 crystallize in the trigonal system with space [a]

Invited for the cover of this issue is the group of Shinya Hayami at Kumamoto University, Japan. The cover image shows a Japanese New Year's card symbolizing the dawn of a new era for chiral magnetism. Mt. Aso, which is the symbol of Kumamoto, was chosen for the background.