The study of paramagnetic compounds based on 4d and 5d transition metals is an emerging research topic in the field of molecular magnetism. An essential driving force for the interest in this area is the fact that heavier metal ions introduce important attributes to the physical properties of paramagnetic compounds. Among the attractive characteristics of heavier elements vis-à-vis magnetism are the diffuse nature of their d orbitals, their strong magnetic anisotropy owing to enhanced spin-orbit coupling, and their diverse structural and redox properties. This critical review is intended to introduce readers to the topic and to report recent progress in this area. It is not fully comprehensive in scope although we strived to include all relevant topics and a large subset of references in the area. Herein we provide a survey of the history and current status of research that has been conducted on the topic of second and third row transition metal molecular magnetism. The article is organized according to the nature of the precursor building blocks with special topics being highlighted as illustrations of the special role of heavier transition metal ions in the field. This paper is addressed to readers who are interested in molecular magnetism and the application of coordination chemistry principles to materials synthesis (231 references).

The combination of some three-atom bridges with paramagnetic 3d transition metal ions results in the systematic isolation of molecular magnetic materials, ranging from single-molecule and single-chain magnets to layered weak ferromagnets and three-dimensional porous magnets. The design strategy and role of secondary components, such as co-ligands, templates and other mixed short ligands are discussed.

Three trinuclear Mn2Mo molecules based on the orbitally degenerate [Mo(CN)7](4-) anion were prepared, one of which is the first single-molecule magnet (SMM) based on heptacyanomolybdate. The blocking temperature and the energy barrier (U = 40.5 cm(-1)) are records for a cyanide-based SMM. Wide hysteresis loops and sharp quantum tunneling steps were observed from single-crystal measurements.

A series of end-to-end azido-bridged perovskite-type compounds [(CH3)nNH4-n][Mn(N3)3] (n = 1-4) were synthesized and characterized. Structural phase transitions indicating the general lattice flexibility were observed and confirmed by the crystal structures of different phases. These materials show cation-dependent magnetic ordering at up to 92 K and magnetic bistability near room temperature.

Three azido-bridged Co2+ complexes with square, honeycomb, and Kagomé layered structures were synthesized and structurally characterized. Crystallization solvents are found to be critical in generating the observed topologies. These structurally related complexes are of significance in studying two-dimensional antiferromagnetism and geometric frustration.

The isostructural, chiral molecular magnetic materials with the formula [MxM'(2-x)(ca)2(1,4-dimb)]n [H2ca = D-(+)-camphoric acid, 1,4-dimb = 1,4-di-(1-imidazolyl-methyl)-benzene, M = Ni(II), M' = CoII, 0 < or = x < or = 2] consist of ca-bridged (4,4) layers with [M2(O2CR)4] as secondary building units that are pillared by the 1,4-dimb ligands into a unique 3D framework. The high-spin octahedral symmetry and the proportions of the mixed-metal ions were characterized by UV-vis spectroscopy. The compounds exhibit the onset of antiferromagnetic ordering at 7.5 approximately 23 K, as well as weak ferromagnetism, spin-flop, and glassy behavior that result from the randomness of the mixed-metal pairs, magnetic anisotropy of the metallic cations, and antisymmetric exchange. The composites should be regarded as molecular alloys of the pure Ni(II) and Co(II) compounds. The magnetic behavior of the solid solutions shows unambiguously that the organic bridges, bond angles, and bond distances greatly influence the effective interactions and bring about cooperative magnetic behavior in the chiral 3D frameworks.

Field-induced slow magnetic relaxation was observed for air-stable mononuclear cobalt(II) compounds with pentagonal bipyramid geometry. These are the first examples of such behavior observed in the seven-coordinated mononuclear 3d metal compounds.

Dynamic molecular crystals are of high interest due to their potential applications. Herein we report the reversible on-off switching of single-molecule magnet (SMM) behavior in a [Mo(CN)] based molecular compound. Upon dehydration and rehydration, the trinuclear MnMo molecule [Mn(L)(HO)][Mo(CN)]·2HO (1) undergoes reversible crystal-to-crystal transformation to a hexanuclear MnMo compound [Mn(L)(HO)][Mn(L)][Mo(CN)] (2). This structural transformation involves the breaking and reforming of coordination bonds which leads to significant changes in the color and magnetic properties. Compound 1 is an SMM with an energy barrier of 44.9 cm, whereas 2 behaves as a simple paramagnet despite its higher ground state spin value. The distortion of the pentagonal bipyramidal geometry of [Mo(CN)] in 2 disrupts the anisotropic exchange interactions that lead to SMM behavior in 1.